Married to the Mob
by tufano79
Summary: Edward Cullen is the heir-apparent to the most infamous crime families in Chicago. However, to take over the family, his father reminded him about the stipulation that Edward needed to be married. Isabella Swan is a struggling graduate student, working as a waitress in a local diner, The Swan Dive. Could be the answer to his dilemma? Full summary inside ... AU/AH OOC
1. Chapter 1

**Summary:** ** _Edward Cullen is the heir-apparent to the most infamous crime families in Chicago. He was notorious for his time with his enemies, his many dates and his ruthless skill in the board room, the front for the illicit dealings of the Cullen Crime Consortium. However, to take over the family, his father reminded him about the stipulation that Edward needed to be married. Edward hated that stipulation, but he agreed to it and he had less than a year to make it a reality._**

 ** _Isabella Swan is a struggling graduate student, working as a waitress in a local diner, The Swan Dive. On a chance meeting, Edward finds Bella to be enchanting and the perfect woman to marry. He makes an indecent proposal, suggesting marriage and paying for Bella's tuition, and then some. Will Bella accept his proposal, with the possibility of having her dreams come true, but married to a sexy, enigmatic rich businessman? Or will she figure out the truth, that her future-husband is_** **Married to the Mob?**

 **Pairing:** **Bella/Edward**

 **Rating:** **M/NC-17**

 **Disclaimer:** All things Twilight belong solely to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended

 ** _Married to the Mob_**

 **Chapter One**

 **EPOV**

"Clean up on aisle six," I deadpanned, looking at the poor schmoe that I'd offed. His brains were scattered along the back wall of the dingy warehouse. I'd found out that he was trying to skim off some of the profits from numerous gun sales in the city and selling to kids.

That's a no-no.

Yes, I'm a part of the mob, but selling to kids was never a good thing.

"Jas, you got this?" I asked.

"I've got a crew on the way, boss," he said, smiling widely. Jasper was my right-hand man/bodyguard. Not that I needed one. I was the best shot in my family. "You were awesome, Edward. Mid-sentence and then, _bam!_ He never saw it coming."

"Yeah, well," I shrugged. "Make sure that this is cleaned up and I'll see you back at the office. I need to _work_ off some aggressions. His revelations pissed me off." I said as I gestured to the mess on the floor. I stuffed my gun back into my holster, leaving the warehouse. I drove to one of my long-time fuck-buddies, Kate. I fucked her for an hour, losing myself in her tight pussy and her breathless moans. When I was done, I felt much calmer and could start my day.

My legit business.

Yeah, I lived a double life.

By day, I was a businessman, a multi-millionaire, a real-estate mogul and venture capitalist. It was the cover for my less-than-stellar, highly illegal night job as the heir-apparent for the Cullen Crime Consortium. We dabbled in a lot of things, but our main focus was selling guns and drugs. My father, Carlisle Cullen, was the head of the family. He took over after his father, and my namesake, Edward Cullen, Sr., was killed by Aro Volturi, our arch nemesis. We took revenge, killing Aro. His moronic grandson, Marcus, took over and things had not been the same for the Volturi since. However, we kept a close eye on their dealings. Marcus tended to partner with people smarter than him.

I stopped at my penthouse apartment, changing out of black clothing and showering. I put on a crisp grey suit, driving to Cullen Towers and riding up to my lavish penthouse office. Angela, my personal assistant, was waiting at the elevator. "Mr. Cullen, I'm so glad you're here." She handed me my coffee and walked with me. "We've had several offers on that large building on the near-north."

"Any full-price offers?" I asked, tossing my briefcase onto the leather sofa.

"No, sir," she said, wrinkling her nose. "The closest offer is almost two-hundred thousand dollars below asking price."

"Let me see," I said, taking the files from her hands. I read them, scanning the offers. "Counter the most expensive offer, meet them halfway and reach out to them about their business plan for this club they want to offer. See if they want an investor. The idea sounds intriguing."

"Yes, sir," she said, grinning. "You've got a ten o'clock meeting with a prospective client, wanting to sell their restaurant and relocate to a bigger, better location. Then, you have a late lunch with your father at one. He said you _cannot_ cancel. It's imperative you meet with him. His words, exactly."

"Fuck," I growled.

"You have a strict nonfraternization policy, Mr. Cullen," Angela quipped. "And I'm married."

"You're hysterical, Ang," I snorted. She smirked. "Anything after lunch with dear old dad?"

"A couple of showings, but I can reassign them to one of your junior associates," Angela nodded.

"Do that, Angela. You know how I get after I meet with Daddy dearest," I sighed. "Thanks."

She gave me a curt smile, darting out of the office and I loaded up my laptop. I looked over several business plans, seeing if any of them had merit for me to provide capital as an investor. Shortly before ten, my clients came and I met with them. We discussed selling their current restaurant and purchasing a larger space to expand their business to include catering. They already had an offer on a building, but needed help selling their current location. I took them on as clients, sending them to the restaurant with my younger brother, Emmett.

"Edward, don't forget your lunch with your father," Angela called over the intercom. "It's nearly one."

"Thanks, Angela," I said, grabbing my cell phone. I rode down to the basement, hopping into the limousine that was waiting for me. Inside the limo, sat my father. "Hello, Carlisle."

"Edward," he said, arching a brow. We kissed cheeks, settling into the leather seats. "I see that Angela got you to meet with me. You should give that girl a raise."

"I pay her more than enough, Carlisle," I said. "Now, what is so important that you have to schedule time with my personal assistant?"

"Let's get to the restaurant. I've rented out Alinea so we could speak in private," Carlisle said, smirking. I huffed out a breath, scowling like a sullen teenager, not the thirty-five-year-old man I was. Arriving at the restaurant, we were led into a private dining room. We didn't order. My father must have already ordered for us. Once we sat down, a bottle of wine was delivered along with the first course. "Your mother wanted to come, but she was planning some charity event. Besides, I thought it would be best if we spoke privately."

"What's this about, Dad?" I asked, sipping my wine.

"To be blunt, I want to retire," Carlisle said. "I'm not as young as I used to be. I'm exhausted of looking over my shoulder and I'm ready to pass on the reins to you. But, your great-grandfather said the leader of our family needed to be married. How is _that_ going?"

"Marriage? It's not," I snorted. "Dad, the last girlfriend I had was Maggie when I was in high school. And that wasn't even that serious."

"Edward, you are the strongest man I know, but I have to abide by the rules," Carlisle said. "I want to retire within a year. If you're not married by that time, Emmett will become the leader of the family, despite him being younger than you. He's married to Rosalie."

"Rosalie is a bitch," I growled. "Their marriage isn't a happy one."

"It doesn't have to be. All that matters is that our family line is protected. You being married would ensure the possibility of you having a child, Edward. We can't have the Cullen line die with you," Carlisle said. "And it doesn't have to be a happy marriage. You just have to be married."

"This isn't the Victorian era where marriages are arranged. People can be happy without having someone else attached to them," I snarled. "I'm happy with my life. I don't want to be married."

"I want you to lead this family, Edward Anthony. I named you after my father, a strong, _good_ man. You were destined to lead us into a new era. The men look up to you, respect you," Carlisle said. "Though, I don't see how. You're disrespectful to your elders. I am, for now, the boss of this family and your father. I should be followed, not snarled at, you insolent brat."

"My apologies," I said, glowering at my wine. "I just don't see why being married is such a big deal. I could knock some woman up and you'd get your heir. Problem fucking solved."

"That child wouldn't bear your name. It would be a bastard," Carlisle scoffed. "An illegitimate child. My half-brother, Stephan, who is older than me, never had a chance of being the leader of this family because of Papa's indiscretion. I don't want the same mistake to happen to you." He tucked into his salad. "One year, Edward."

"Just to be married?" I asked. "I don't have to have a baby or anything?"

"Just married," he replied. "And you can't choose any of the Denali sisters. They're too closely related to the Volturi."

"They're good in bed, but not for marriage," I shuddered. "I have better taste than that." I sullenly poked at my salad while Dad prattled on about the latest shipment of guns and ammo that were delivered from Russia, from his contact in the Russian Bratva. Then, he moved on to the charity event that my mother, Esme, was hosting for some politician. Our money was so entrenched in the corruption in Chicago that the police ignored our wrong-doings. We were fine _upstanding_ citizens in their eyes, but the men in the Cullen family were anything but.

We were ruthless, cold-blooded killers. I had killed at least twenty men – all of them monsters, thieves and thugs – in my twenty years being an active member of the family. I had called for more than a hundred hits on other men who threatened my family. My father? Easily four times of what I had done, if not more. He'd personally taken it upon himself to assassinate Aro with his father's own gun, making him suffer. Carlisle wasn't only a killer, he was sadistic and cruel.

But, never to his family.

Well, maybe to his brother, Stephan. He was a douche. He was extremely bitter that he was passed over as leader of the family due to the whole illegitimate kid thing. None of us trusted him, but you know the old adage? Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer? Stephan fell into the enemy category.

"Edward, did you hear anything I said?" Carlisle asked, snapping in my face. "You space out and you're dead."

"Sorry. You drop this bombshell that I need to be married in a year. I've got a lot on my mind," I hissed. Carlisle pursed his lips, glaring at me. "It's true!"

"Regardless, you need to keep your head and mind sharp, Edward. I want you to lead this family. You're strong, level-headed and exactly what we need for this family. Emmett, I love him, but he's in no shape to head up this family. He's not as cunning as you. He's too soft," Carlisle murmured.

I bit back a retort. Emmett was softer than me. He was molded into a respectable businessman. He could shoot a gun, kill a traitor, but he would be sick for days afterward. "I get it, Dad."

"I know you do," he sighed. "Look, you've got one year and then I'll be passing along the reins to either you or your brother. I'd rather it be you because you have the stomach for this life." He held up his hand, gesturing for the waitress, asking for the check. "As I was saying while you were spacing out, your mother expects you to be at this charity event. It's two weeks from tomorrow. Black tie and bring a _respectable_ date. Kate's too stupid. Irina is not feminine enough and Tanya?"

"She's a slut. I know," I growled exasperatedly. "I'll find someone. Maybe she'll be my fiancée." Carlisle made a face. "Kidding, Dad." He paid for our meal. We went out and walked to the waiting limo, waiting for me. "I'm going to walk, Dad. I need some air."

"That's not smart, Edward. You're not protected," Carlisle frowned.

I pointed across the street. In a nondescript sedan, Jasper waved. "I'm covered." With a hug and a kiss, we parted ways. The limo drove off and I turned on my heel, walking in the opposite direction to my favorite restaurant. Alinea was a total fancy restaurant, but left me starving. The servings were so tiny, and not for muscular men, like me. I wanted a steak, French fries and a milk shake. The only place that had all that in spades was The Swan Dive.

 **BPOV**

"You're late, Swan," barked Jimmy. He was my uncle and owned the family restaurant, The Swan Dive. "Just because you're my niece doesn't mean you get preferential treatment."

"Sorry! I had to talk to one of my professors about an upcoming assignment, Uncle Jimmy. I'll make up for at the end of my shift," I said, throwing on an apron after I clocked in.

"Yeah, yeah," he chuckled and giving me an indulgent grin, waving his metal tongs. "Vicky needs her break, Bella."

I grumbled under my breath. "On it, Uncle Jimmy." Vicky took more breaks than she worked. Vicky was Jimmy's live-in girlfriend. She wanted to get married, but Jimmy saw what marriage did his older brother and my father, Charlie. When my dad died of cancer, Jimmy called it a blessing in disguise. My incubator couldn't bleed him dry anymore from the divorce decree. Instead, she was trying to bleed me dry. That's why I was stuck working in the diner so I could pay for my graduate degree, along with attorney fees since my mother was contesting my father's will, even six years after he died.

 _Bitch._

"You're a good girl, Bella," Jimmy smiled.

"I'm the shit," I snorted. I relieved Vicky, who flounced into the office. I took over her tables, serving them with a smile and using my downtime to work on some of my reading assignments for my master's degree in psychology. I wanted to work with kids. I spent time at local homeless shelters, providing assistance to kids who didn't have that support structure. This was in addition to a full-time course load and working almost forty hours at The Swan Dive.

Sleep was a luxury that I didn't have. The last full-night's sleep I had was in 2012.

There was a jangle of the bells above the door. "Have a seat anywhere open," I said, closing my textbook. I swiped a menu and saw one of the regulars, but he stuck out like a sore thumb. This man was always impeccably dressed, with a mess of bronze hair that looked like someone had ran their fingers through it while they fucked. His eyes were the most alluring shade of emerald green, shining against his pale skin. Vicky usually took care of him since she thought he was hot and he tipped well. Her loss was my gain. _Sweet!_ "Welcome to The Swan Dive. I'm Bella, can I get you something to drink?" I asked as he sat at the counter.

"Stella Artois," he answered, his voice smooth like velvet. It was deep and resonant, exuding a great deal of power. Not to mention, it made my panties wet. _Damn._ I got him his beer, pouring it into a glass. "Thank you, Bella."

"You're welcome," I smiled. "Do you need some time or are you ready to order?"

He stared at me, a crooked grin ghosting over his handsome features. "I'm ready to order." I took out my pad of paper, waiting expectantly for him to order from me. "You're gorgeous, Bella."

"Um, well, thank you, sir," I stammered. "But, I'm not on the menu."

"My name is Edward," he said, sipping his beer. "Say it, Bella."

"What would like to order, Edward?" I asked, compelled to try out his name on my lips. His smile widened and his entire face lit up. My heart fluttered against my ribs as I felt my face flush.

"You really are gorgeous, Bella. It's a shame that you aren't on the menu. I'd devour you," he purred, his voice deepening and making me think naughty things about this sexy man. _When was the last time you got laid, Bella?_ "When do you get off?"

 _Excuse me?_ "Not until midnight, Edward," I chuckled, trying to keep it cool. "Order?"

"I'll wait for you to finish your shift," he beamed. "And I'll take a sirloin with fries and a salad."

"How do you want your steak cooked?" I asked, my face flaming at his attention. Guys like him don't talk to girls like me. I'm as plain as they come and he's a freaking Greek god in a thousand-dollar suit.

"Medium rare," he smirked.

"Got it," I said, trying to calm my blush. "What kind of dressing do you want on your salad?"

"Surprise me," he said, handing me back the menu. "And I mean it about waiting." His eyes swept over me, licking his lips. "I want to get to know you, beautiful."

Before I could respond, Jimmy barked that an order was up. I smiled, darting to the window and traying up the meal for the family in the corner booth. I put their meals onto their table. I ordered Edward's meal, watching as Vicky came out of the office and flirted with him relentlessly. He was stiff, trying to move away and if she cost me my tip, I was going to be pissed. I grabbed a salad, covering it with some ranch dressing. I put it in front of Edward. "Here you go," I smiled.

"I told you that I was being taken care of, Vicky," Edward said, his voice cold. "I want her to be my server."

"Bella's only part-time," Vicky said, leaning forward.

"No, I'm not. I work more than you," I snorted. "Vicky, stop trying to trade up. Uncle Jimmy loves you."

"Not enough to marry me," she snarled. "Ungrateful brat." She sneered at me, stomping to the back office. I heard her and Uncle Jimmy screaming at each other in the kitchen. There was a loud bang and Uncle Jimmy yelled in frustration.

"Sorry about that," I frowned.

"I'm definitely not leaving now," he said, his voice not as cold, but still tinted with anger. Despite the tone of his voice, his eyes were soft and swirling with concern. "I want to talk to you. I know you don't me from Adam, but …" he trailed off, reaching for my hand and taking it between his own. His skin was warm, soft. I felt an electric current travel through my body. I shuddered.

"Miss? Can we get some more ketchup?" asked the man in the corner booth.

"Be right there," I replied. "Excuse me." He wouldn't let go of my hand. He kept his eyes locked on mine, his thumb caressing the underside of my wrist. "I need my hand, Edward."

"I suppose," he said, winking at me flirtatiously. He let go and I stumbled away. This man was dangerously sexy and I was definitely attracted to him. Looking at him as I put the ketchup on the table, I was turned on and intrigued by him. It was his deep, seductive voice, the lithe body underneath the expensive suit and the swirling green of his eyes.

Definitely attracted and intrigued.

 **EPOV**

I ate my steak, watching as the beautiful brunette, _Bella_ , worked tirelessly in the diner. The redhead that had normally served me never came back. I was grateful for that. Vicky made me uncomfortable. She looked at me like I was her meal ticket. Everything about Vicky screamed whore, but Bella? She seemed smart, classy and sexy. Her thick chocolate colored hair was pulled into a demure ponytail, curled at the ends. Her eyes were the color of espresso beans and were very expressive. She was petite with curves in all the right places. If I stood up, she'd fit right underneath my chin. Her skin was translucent and had the most alluring blush.

 _Talk about going soft. You're turning into a poet, describing this girl. Yes, she's gorgeous, but you need her for this marriage arrangement._

As midnight neared, Bella gave me my bill. I'd ordered my milkshake and some pecan pie that Bella said she'd made. She could bake, that was for certain. I paid cash, giving her an amazing tip. "You didn't have to wait for me, Edward," Bella said, hanging up her apron.

"It's late, beautiful," I said. "It looks like Jimmy left and I don't want you to be walking the streets by yourself. He's your Dad?"

"Uncle," she said, a frown gracing her features. "My dad died from cancer just before I graduated from high school. Uncle Jimmy took me in when my incubator decided to be trouble." She put on a fleece, grabbing a backpack and book from underneath the counter. I took the backpack from her, slinging it over my shoulder. "Edward, I can carry my own bag."

"Not with me," I said, taking the book from her hands. "Adolescent psychology? In college?"

"Graduate degree. I'm getting my masters," she explained. "I want to work with kids. You can only do so much with an undergraduate degree. To move ahead, I need to get my masters. Once I get settled, I'll get my doctorate. I need money to do that. I'm up to my ears in debt. My dad's life insurance policy paid for undergrad, but …" She trailed off. "I don't know why I'm telling you my troubles. I'm sorry. I'll shut up."

"Don't censor yourself, Bella," I smiled, guiding her out of the diner. She locked the front door and pulled down the metal gate, locking it. Parked on the street was my Aston Martin. I'd sent a text to Jasper, asking him to drop it off while I waited for her. "I'll drive you home."

"Is this yours?" she breathed, her eyes wide, staring at my midnight blue, that almost appeared black, car.

"A birthday present," I chuckled, helping her into the passenger seat with my hand lingering in hers longer than polite. I put her bag into the trunk, jogging to the driver's side. "Where to, Miss Bella?"

"I'm afraid that your car may get pinched in my neighborhood," she said, shooting me a sheepish smile. "Don't worry about it. Just drive me to the el."

"Full service, Bella. To your door," I said, arching a brow. "I want to get to know you."

"I'm a nobody," she deadpanned. "I'm a poor graduate student. You're obviously important with the expensive car and a suit worth more than my tuition."

"You're not a nobody," I said, pulling away from the curb and reaching over the console, taking her tiny hand in mine. I twined my fingers with hers and it felt nice. It had been forever since I held a woman's hand. I was more comfortable dismantling a gun or shooting enemies and asking questions later. Bella, much to my surprise, traced the veins on the top of my hand as I drove to her apartment. She didn't live in the safest neighborhood and my hackles went up. "Why don't you still live with your uncle?"

"Because I'm twenty-four and I didn't want a reminder that he's getting laid more than me," she said, giving me a wry grin. "He and Vicky aren't exactly quiet."

"I'm sorry," I said, squeezing her hand.

"This was all I could afford, but it's mine," she blushed. I parked my car, helping Bella out of the car. We walked up the rickety stairs and I tried to hide my distaste. "I know it's not much. You don't have to do this."

"Oh, yes. I do," I said, looking down at her. Hidden behind her eyes was shame at her situation, but she was dealing with it as best as she could. I traced my finger down her cheek. She leaned into my palm, her eyes fluttering shut. With a sigh, she pulled away and unlocked her door. Inside, it was homey and an extension of Bella's personality, colorful and funky. Well, an extension of the personality I'd seen while I watched her for the six hours I was at the diner. She was friendly, quick with a smile and open to her customers, teasing with her uncle and flirtatious with me. But, it wasn't an overt flirtatiousness. It was subtle, with a smile or extra attention. "I like it."

"Thank you," she said, tossing her bag onto the couch. "Do you want something to drink? Another Stella? Some wine?"

"I'd like to take you out on a date," I said, sitting down and crossing my legs at the ankles. "And you don't need to serve me, Bella. Sit, please?"

"I'm going to get some water," she spluttered, her cheeks turning the most delicious pink. I heard her puttering in the kitchen, coming back a few moments later and curling up next to me. "Before I agree to a date, Edward … a few questions."

"Anything, beautiful. I'm an open book," I said. _Well, mostly._

"First off, what's your last name?" she giggled.

"Cullen," I said, moving her closer and idly playing with her fingers. "I work at Cullen Industries, where we have a lucrative real estate agency and investment group. I'm the CEO."

"A CEO," she said slowly. "Wow."

"Not really," I smirked. "I work hard, but the company runs itself. My great-grandfather started it all." I raised her hand, kissing her wrist. She bit her lip, squirming on the couch. "You okay?"

"You are quite the flirt, Mr. Cullen," she said. "Do you woo all of your women this way?"

"Nope. Only you, beautiful," I answered honestly. I would never act this way with the Denali sisters. They served one purpose. Something about Bella intrigued me, made me want to get to know her. To _protect_ her.

My pocket vibrated and I slipped out my phone. _One of our guys was found dead. We found the doer, we need you ~ Em._ I quickly responded before putting it back into my pocket. "I would love to stay, Bella, but I need to go. Before I do, I need to know … can I take you out on a date?"

"Yes," she said. I leaned forward, brushing my lips with hers. She gasped and I felt something travel through me. "When?"

"Tomorrow night," I said, cupping her face and running my thumb along her plump lip. "Wear something sexy."

"I don't sleep with men on the first date," she said, nipping at my thumb. "As tempting as you are, we're not having sex."

I smiled crookedly, happy to hear that. "I just want to see you in something other than that apron and jeans, beautiful," I purred, kissing her tempting lips. "I have to go. Tomorrow. Seven?"

"Kay," she breathed, her mouth centimeters from mine. She leaned forward, kissing me and I bit back a groan. I pulled away, standing up and kissing her palm. "Be safe, Edward."

"Always, beautiful," I said, leaving her in the apartment. Emmett sent me a text with an address. I sped off. I switched cars and changed into something less formal. Getting blood stains out of suits raised too many questions. Wearing black jeans, a black t-shirt and a black leather jacket, I drove to the abandoned warehouse. I parked next to Emmett's Jeep and swiped my favorite gun, my Desert Eagle. Inside I found Emmett, Jasper and Emmett's bodyguard, Seth. Handcuffed to a chair was a snarling kid. "Who did he get?" I asked.

"Lewis," Seth replied. "Got him as he was sealing a deal with one of the south side gangs. This punk won't say anything. He just keeps growling like a rabid dog."

"He's just a kid, Ed," Emmett whispered. "Barely eighteen."

"He killed Lewis," I said, walking over to him and glowering at him. "You killed one of my best guys." I tugged on his greasy hair, forcing him to look at me. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Fuck you," the kid said, spitting in my face.

"You think you're all tough?" I asked, standing up and cracking my knuckles. I backhanded him, breaking his nose. He cursed. "Do you think we're going to let you get away with killing Lewis?"

"He was getting in my turf," he spat.

"And who's turf is that?" I asked, taking out my gun and releasing the safety.

"I'm not answering you, asshole," he said. Pulling my gun out, I shot him in the knee. He screamed. "God damn it! That was my knee!"

"Wow, you're a fucking genius. And I've got thirteen more bullets," I said, cocking the gun again, pointing at his other knee. "Who's turf?"

"Edward," Emmett hissed.

"Shut up, Em," I snarled. "You can stay alive if you tell me who's turf."

"Why should I believe you? You're a monster," the kid panted.

"Says the punk-ass who killed Lewis," I said calmly. Leveling my arm, I shot him in the other knee. He screamed again, even louder and the bitter stench of urine filled the room. I pounced on him, grabbing his face. "Do you want to live, asshole?"

"Yes," he sobbed. "I'll tell you."

"I'm waiting. I'm not a patient man," I said, glaring. I held my gun between his eyes. "Tell me!"

"I don't know exactly, but I do know that … that …" he stammered. I cocked the hammer, my patience wearing thin.

"Edward, he's just a kid," Emmett growled.

"Shut the fuck up, Emmett," I spat, shooting my brother a sneer. "A name and you get to live to see another day."

"I don't know! I get orders from my older brother," the kid cried. "He told me to kill your guy because his boss told him to."

"What's your brother's name?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. The punk was crying. "I need to know in case you don't survive."

"Embry," he sobbed. "My brother's name is Embry. Embry Call."

"And what's your name?"

"Quil," he groaned, tears streaming down his cheeks. "Please? Please, I don't want to die."

"You should have thought about that before you killed Lewis," I said, shooting my gun between his eyes. Quil's head fell back and his sniveling stopped. I stepped back, putting my gun back into the holster. Emmett was looking away. I walked over to my brother, who was larger than me, but clearly not destined to be the leader of this family. I took his face and forced him to look at Quil. "If we'd let him live, things would have gotten a lot worse. He could have gone to the cops. He was a liability, Emmett."

"He was a _kid_ ," Emmett said, glaring at me.

"He was also a murderer," I hissed.

"So are you," Emmett snapped. "You killed a boy."

"You've killed, too, Emmett," I yelled. "We're in one of largest mafia families. Killing is a part of our lives." Emmett clenched his jaw, his hands in rigid fists. "I love you, Em, but this is our life. Where do you think Dad went when he had those 'late-night meetings'?"

"I know!" he said, stepping away from me and throwing his fist into a rotting wood post. It disintegrated on impact. "I know." He left the warehouse.

I nodded to Seth to follow him. Looking at Jasper, I sighed. "Find his brother. Bring him in and find out who is encroaching on _our_ turf. Send our _condolences_ for the loss of his brother. And don't forget a cleanup crew."

"Got it, boss," Jasper nodded. "And Edward, you were right in killing him. If you had let him go, he could have identified you and I like you. You're a good boss." He took out his cell phone, tapping on the screen.

"What would Alice think?" I teased. His wife was our doctor. If we had something go wrong, Alice Whitlock would personally take care of it. "Does she know about your little man crush?"

"She does and she fully supports our bromance. She even hinted on taking the bromance a step further," Jasper snickered. I gave him a look. He grinned goofily. "Kidding … I'm kidding. Boss, you get out of here. You look dead on your feet. When was the last time you slept?"

"Awhile. Thanks, Jas," I said, slapping his shoulder. I blew out a breath as I looked back at Quil, seeing his dead body and blood seeping onto the ground. I said a prayer for him before ducking out. Emmett's Jeep was still there and I saw him talking to Seth. I started to walk over to them, but Seth shook his head. Seth, like Jasper, was as close to Emmett as I was to Jasper. They had their own bromance. Emmett needed time to calm down.

I'd give him that.

I slid into my car, driving away and to my penthouse at The Pinnacle. I tossed my keys to the valet and rode up to the top floor. Stripping out of my clothes, I scoured my body before collapsing in my king-sized bed. I sent a text to Angela before I crashed, asking to make reservations at a romantic restaurant for two at seven. I also told her that I was not coming into the office.

I was exhausted. I needed to fucking sleep.

As my I drifted asleep, my mind didn't replay the brutal murder of Quil, but of the beautiful woman that had captured my attention. Her deep, espresso-colored eyes and her mahogany tresses, remembering the soft innocent kisses. It was a better memory than snuffing the life of a teenager.

 **BPOV**

To my surprise, Uncle Jimmy didn't give me any shit about taking tomorrow evening off. "I'm glad you have a date, Bella. You work too much. You're too young to deal with this, sweetie," he said. "And I could tell that the guy had stars in his eyes for you."

"He was very charming," I whispered. "But, I don't know what to wear, Uncle Jimmy."

"Wear that dress you wore to your college graduation. The navy-blue thing," he chuckled. "Blue's your signature color."

"Uncle Jimmy, really?" I snickered.

"What? You looked great!" he laughed.

"Okay, I'll wear the navy-blue cocktail dress. Have you heard from Vicky?" I asked.

"She texted me, all huffy," he scoffed. "But, don't worry about my nonsense. You have fun tonight, but be safe. Call me if something happens or if you don't feel safe. I'll have my cell phone on me at all times."

"Thanks, Uncle Jimmy," I whispered. "Love you."

"Love you, too, kid," he replied.

I hung up the phone and turned back to my paper, finishing the outline. Saving my work, I went to shower and I took care to curl my hair and apply my makeup. As I was putting on my earrings, a pair of sapphire studs that Jimmy gave me for my eighteenth birthday, there was a knock on my door. Slipping my feet into a pair of nude heels, I teetered to the door and opened it up, seeing Edward standing on my doorstep. He was holding a bouquet of lavender roses, grinning seductively. "Oh my, flowers," I breathed. "They're gorgeous."

"Not as lovely as you," he said, cupping my cheek and brushing lips against mine. My heart stammered, just like yesterday evening. Such a simple show of affection set me aflame more than any of my last boyfriends combined. He pulled back, laughing quietly. "We match."

I looked down and saw that he was dressed in a navy suit. "We do," I giggled. "Though, your suit probably cost more than my dress. Walmart special."

"Regardless, it's perfect on you, beautiful," he said. "Do you have a jacket or a wrap? It's quite chilly out tonight."

I nodded, reaching for a silver pashmina and draping it over my shoulders. I swiped my purse after I put the flowers on my cocktail table. Edward twined our fingers together and led me down to his waiting car. It was a black Mercedes, complete with a driver. "Whoa."

"Jasper is one of my closest friends and quasi-bodyguard," he said. "There was a situation earlier today and he felt that we needed some extra protection. He's for your safety, as well as mine." He helped me into the backseat, sitting next to me and taking my hand, kissing my wrist. "What did you do today, Bella?"

"I had class in the morning and then I spent some time at one of the local homeless shelters, checking on my kids," I replied. Edward's brows shot to his hairline. "They're not my _kids_ , but I feel like they are my responsibility." I blushed, biting my lip. "I can't divulge too much, but these kids don't have anyone. I'm there for them, as much as I can be. What about you? What did you do?"

"I took some personal time," he said. "I wanted to make sure that our date tonight was perfect. It's been a long time since I felt this way about a woman."

"Why? You're a handsome, successful man," I said, looking at him. I knew he was older than me. I was shocked that he didn't have a beautiful wife.

"With success, comes women who don't want to be with me for the _right_ reasons," he said, his nose wrinkled. "Either they're with me because they want a slice from the gravy train or they want the prestige of being my girlfriend. Suffice it to say, I've had casual relationships, but nothing serious since I was in high school, which was a long time ago."

"And you don't think that I'm with you for those reasons?" I asked.

"No, I don't. I saw how you worked in the diner, how you cared for each customer, giving them the time of day," he said, his green eyes sparkling. "You made them feel special. You certainly made my day."

"And you made mine," I said, reaching into my purse and pulling out most the tip he'd given me. "Normally, customers give twenty percent for excellent service. If my math is correct, this is more like two thousand percent."

"You deserve, beautiful," he murmured, closing my fingers around the bundle of bills. "I want to spoil you. In more ways than two."

 **EPOV**

We arrived at Celeste, and were seated on the deck. It was heated and filled with twinkling lights. We were the only two people there. Bella was clearly shocked that we had the whole space to ourselves, but it gave us a chance to talk and to really get to know each other. She was everything that I had hoped she'd be and more. We bonded on a level that I never anticipated. I almost hated to ruin the evening with my _indecent_ proposal.

 _Would it be ruined?_

After we shared some dessert, I moved us to one of the overstuffed couches that overlooked the city's skyline. "If you had one wish, what would it be, beautiful?" I asked.

"To see my dad again," she whispered, sipping her coffee. "He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and taken too soon."

"I'm so sorry," I frowned. She bit her lip, crossing her legs. "And your uncle is your dad's brother?"

"Yeah. I don't really associate with my mom," she shrugged. "For obvious reasons. You want to talk about a gold-digger? That would be Renee Swan. My dad wasn't rich, but he was comfortable. She asked for a divorce when I was in sixth grade and she fought him for alimony, child support, even though I was living with him and all other nonsense. Upon my father's death, all his worldly goods were left to me, along with his life-insurance policy. My mother contested the will and I'm still fighting that battle. If I could, I'd give her what she wanted, but I can't. I don't have that kind of money."

"What if I could help you?" I suggested.

"No. She'll keep asking for more," Bella said, shaking her head. "I don't want that."

"Not with your mom, but with everything else," I said, my own cheeks flaming. I shot a look at the door. Jasper, who had been close by, locked the doors to ensure our privacy. "Bella, what I'm going to tell you needs to stay between us. Jasper suggested that you should sign an NDA, but I trust you."

"Okay, this is freaking me the fuck out," she tittered.

"You've heard of Cullen Industries, but it's all a guise for …" I gulped, "for the Cullen Crime Consortium. I didn't come up with the name." I hated it.

"What?" she asked, her nose wrinkled. "Isn't that one of the mafia families?"

"Yes," I said, gazing into her eyes. She narrowed her espresso-colored orbs, but didn't respond. "Over a hundred-fifty years ago, my great-great grandfather, Antonio Masoni immigrated to the United States. Once he arrived here, he changed his name to Anthony Cullen because Italians were not well-regarded. He worked for a mafia family as an errand boy, but he worked his way up to become consigliere of the American contingent Volturi crime family. However, he wasn't happy with how things were run. He broke away with the help of several other families, creating the Cullen Crime Consortium. His son, Edward Anthony Cullen Sr., my great grandfather moved to Chicago and we began our hold here. We opened up Cullen Industries and dabbled our hands in both legal and illegal dealings."

"So, you're a criminal?" she asked, her voice hard.

"Technically, yes," I answered. "But, we do as much good as we do other things."

"I can't believe this," she growled, shooting up and starting to walk away. I ran after her, stopping her. She ripped her arms from my hands. "Don't touch me."

"Bella, I'm sorry," I whispered.

"I knew that you asking me out was too good to be true," she sneered. "You expect me to lift my skirt and let you fuck me? That I'm supposed to cream my panties because you're some huge mafia don?"

"Not yet," I deadpanned.

"What do you mean?"

"My father, Carlisle Cullen, is still the head of the family. I'm the heir apparent, being the oldest son," I said. "However, for me to take over as the head of the family, I have to be married."

"So, get married," she scoffed as she tried to move closer to the door.

"That's where you come in," I said, stopping her in her tracks. She eyed me dubiously. "I know that it's our first date."

"Our _only_ date," she growled.

"Bella, you are everything that I'm looking for in a wife. You're smart, funny, sexy, and can handle my ass," I smirked. She slugged my arm. "See?" Her eyes narrowed. "It doesn't have to be forever. I promise you that if you do this for me, that I'll pay for the rest of your schooling and anything else that you could ever want or need!"

"And that doesn't scream whore," she snapped.

"Never once did I say that you should fuck me," I snapped back. She looked abashed, her eyes gazing at my black tie. "I'm sorry. I have a horrible temper, but I must be strong in my line of work. You show weakness and you're fucked."

"Surely you know someone else, someone who is familiar with your _work_ that could do this for you," she said, blinking back up at me. "I'm not a fucking criminal. Hell, my dad used to be a detective for Chicago PD. I value the law. I've never even gotten a speeding ticket."

I'd known that. I ran a thorough background check on Isabella Swan. I knew all about her and I knew that she was the one for me. "Bella, beautiful …" I whispered, moving closer and reaching for her face. She backed away, glowering at me. "I'm not a monster." _Yes, you are_. "I know that this is not what you expected."

"No, it wasn't," she said.

"All that I need is for you to marry me, stay married to me for one year and then I'll walk out of your life," I said. "You get everything your heart desires and I'm the leader of my family."

"Edward, you're good-looking and incredibly charming, but I can't accept," she said. "I can't." She tossed her shawl around her shoulders and shivered. "Can I just go?"

I was dejected, but I wasn't going to hold her against her will. "Of course. Jasper can take you home." I reached into my jacket and handed her a card. "This has my home and cell phone number and email address. If you should reconsider …"

"I won't," she snapped, but she tucked the card into her purse. She stomped away and Jasper guided her away from me. My heart was shattered. This was supposed to be a simple business transaction. Why did I feel so torn?

 **BPOV**

A week passed since my date with Edward. Despite his proposal and my anger about said proposal, I couldn't get him off my mind. I researched him, only finding information about his business dealings. _Of course, his illegal activities wouldn't be broadcast on the world-wide web. You can't google that shit._ Cullen Industries did a lot of good for the city, but I couldn't look past what it hid.

I was walking across the quad, heading to a study group for one of my research classes. It was just past six in the evening and the campus was dim, dark. I was listening to some music on my iPod. I was almost to the library when I felt my bag being tugged. I fell back with a sharp yell. "Fuck!"

A man in a dark jacket, with dark eyes and dark hair stood over me. I felt something pressed against my neck. "You know Cullen?" he snarled.

"Who?" I asked, squirming and trying to get away. He picked me up easily, pressing me against the brick wall of one of the buildings. "Don't hurt me!"

He glared at me, smacking my face and sending me flying. "Cullen! Edward Cullen! Do you know him?"

"Casually. He's come into a local diner where I work," I rambled. I was hit again, this time in the stomach. "That's all! I swear!"

"You lie, bitch," he snapped, pushing me against the wall and cupping my face with his hand. "I saw you get into his armored car. I followed that pussy. Tell me everything about him."

"I don't know anything," I sobbed as he dug his fingers into my face. "Please! I don't know what you want." He growled, punching me and causing me to slump onto the ground. I saw stars, my head throbbing. Shaking my head, I got up and ran away. I caught a cab, going back to my apartment. I was barely keeping it together. Using the money that Edward had paid me as tip, I got out of the cab and went up to my apartment, seeing that the door had been busted open. My apartment had been trashed. "No! No! This …" I reached into my pocket and took out my cell phone. I wanted to call Uncle Jimmy, but this was too much. I dialed the number I'd programmed into my phone, but I never thought I'd use.

"Cullen," he said brusquely.

"Edward," I sobbed. "I …"

"I'm on my way, _dolce_ ," he purred. "I'm on my way."

 **EPOV**

"Drive. Faster," I hissed to Jasper.

"We're less than a minute away, boss," Jasper whispered.

We came a screeching halt in front of Bella's apartment building. I ran up the stairs, frantically looking for Bella. Her apartment door had been obliterated and when I stepped inside, I saw that the homey apartment had been torn to shreds. The flowers I'd purchased her, crushed on the ground and the Waterford vase smashed. I heard sobs and I walked into her bedroom, seeing Bella curled up on a mess of clothes. Her ponytail was disheveled. I saw red when I looked at her face. She had a black eye and blood coming out of her nose. I also saw a hand mark around her neck. " _Dolce,_ " I whispered, approaching her slowly. She looked up at me, fear still lacing her gaze. "I won't hurt you."

"Some guy … he …" she cried. "He was asking questions about you. He …" She pressed a hand to her cheek.

I bent down, scooping her into my arms and she threw her arms around my neck. "I've got you, Bella," I said, holding her close to my body. I carried her out of the apartment, catching Jasper's eye. He nodded, saying that he'd clean up the mess. However, if I had my say, she would not be in the apartment any more. I carried her down the stairs and put her in the passenger seat. I drove away from her apartment as Seth, Emmett's body guard and his contact at the Chicago Police Department arrived. Bella didn't say anything to me. She was curled up in a tiny ball in the front seat, her body wracked with shivers. I pulled into the garage of my condo. " _Dolce,_ " I said, reaching across the console. She jumped when my hand took hers. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for startling you. We're here."

"Where's here?" she asked, looking at me dully.

"My home," I said. "Please, come with me?" She nodded. I opened her door and wrapped her in my arms. She melted against me, her body still trembling. Up in my condo, Alice was waiting for us. "I don't know what happened."

"She got the snot beat out of her," Alice griped. Bella shied away from her. "I'm sorry. I'm Alice. I'm your doctor for the evening. Come with me." The two of them went back to one of the guest rooms and I busied myself in the kitchen, making hot tea and trying not to pull my hair out as I heard Bella cry. Alice came back out, putting her black doctor bag on the counter. "She's got a mild concussion and some bruised ribs. She took a bath and then I wrapped her ribs. I swiped one of your shirts and some boxers. I also gave her a mild sedative."

"Was she …?" I asked. "Was she raped?"

"No. Just the physical marks," she shrugged. "Whoever did this was fucking huge and not gentle." Alice gave me a tender smile. "You like her."

"I do," I murmured.

"Good. She's a better fit for you than the Denali skanks," she snorted. "I'll send you my bill."

After Alice left, I took the tea and went into the guest room. Bella was curled up in a tiny ball. She wasn't shivering anymore. Now, she was staring blankly out the window. " _Dolce?_ " I asked. She blinked and looked at me. "I have some tea for you." She sat up, moving slowly. I handed it to her and she sipped it, humming in appreciation. "I have to ask. Why did you call me, Bella? You said …"

"The guy asked about you," she said, her voice hollow. "I don't … I couldn't call Uncle Jimmy. I …" Tears tracked down her cheeks. I sat down, tenderly wiping them away. "I was taught that a man should _never_ hit a woman. He _hit_ me."

"I know and I'm so sorry. When we find him, he will pay for what he did to you," I said, trying to keep my voice even.

"Are you going to kill him?" she asked.

 _Yes._ "If that's what you want," I answered.

"No one should die because of me," she frowned. She yawned. "The medication that Alice gave me. It's making me exhausted."

"Sleep, _dolce_. I'll make sure that you're safe," I said. She finished her tea and fell asleep. I sat next to her, brushing my fingers through her hair and wishing that I could take her pain away.

Around one in the morning, Jasper texted me and said that they found hairs, fibers and finger prints. Seth's detective friend, Claire, was going to process it for us. Whoever broke into Bella's apartment was sloppy. I climbed into bed with her, laying on top of the comforter. She had nightmares, crying in pain. I eventually held her in my arms until she settled. I stayed there, drifting off with this sweet, innocent girl who had been beaten up because of her association with me.

 _You are a fucking monster, Cullen. She's blameless and look what happened?_

Early the next morning, I woke up with a start. Bella was sitting in front of me. The bruises on her face looked worse. She was idly playing with my fingers and tracing scars that I'd had on my knuckles from various fights. "Talk to me, Bella," I whispered.

"How many people have you killed?" she asked.

"Twenty-two," I answered. "All of them very bad people, murderers, rapists and …"

"Have you ever killed someone who didn't deserve it?"

"No," I replied.

"Can you protect me? Protect my family?" she asked, her eyes looking up at me. "I don't want to feel what I felt last night. That _fear_. I don't want Uncle Jimmy to …"

"I'd die for you, Bella," I said honestly.

"One year," she murmured. "Married for one year."

"After an engagement, of course," I chuckled. "I'm the oldest son and my mom wants to plan a wedding."

With a sigh, she eyed me and made a face. "It looks like I'm marrying into the mob."

 **A/N: For those of you who read the We 3 Mobward contest entries, this was my submission and it is the _first_ chapter in a multi-chapter story. I haven't decided if the following chapters will be like this first chapter, in both POVs or staying with one POV per chapter. Since we ended with Edward, we're going to switch to Bella at the start of the next chapter. **

**Pictures of the characters, Edward's penthouse, his cars and his gun, along with Bella's apartment (before it was trashed) are on my blog. You can find the link for that on my profile. I'm also on Facebook: Tufano79's Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation. I'm also on twitter, too: tufano79.**

 **Thanks for reading and for voting!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for everyone who competed in the We 3 Mobward contest. So many great Mobwards … so little time. Here's the second chapter of _Married to the Mob_.** **All things Twilight belong solely to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I hope you enjoy this! Thanks for reading! Also, thanks to Christina Downs for betaing for me in the contest. You rock, girlie!**

 **And to Clo … my dearest Clo ~ You are a goddess of banner making. I love what you created for me for _Married to the Mob_. So. Freaking. Hot. MWAH! **

**Chapter Two**

 **EPOV**

 _"How many people have you killed?" she asked._

 _"Twenty-two," I answered. "All of them very bad people, murderers, rapists and …"_

 _"Have you ever killed someone who didn't deserve it?"_

 _"No," I replied._

 _"Can you protect me? Protect my family?" she asked, her eyes looking up at me. "I don't want to feel what I felt last night. That fear. I don't want Uncle Jimmy to …"_

 _"I'd die for you, Bella," I said honestly._

 _"One year," she murmured. "Married for one year."_

 _"After an engagement, of course," I chuckled. "I'm the oldest son and my mom wants to plan a wedding."_

 _With a sigh, she eyed me and made a face. "It looks like I'm marrying into the mob."_

I wanted to kiss her, but she was scowling, unhappy with the agreement. "I know that you made this decision under duress. However, with being my fiancée, you'll get protection and you will not have a repeat of last night, _dolce,_ " I whispered.

"What does that mean? _Dolce_?" Bella asked.

"Sweet," I answered. "It's Italian and you are so very sweet."

"Don't try to butter me up, Cullen," she snapped. "I was brutally attacked because of my association with you. I'm agreeing to this because I don't want my family, the small amount of family that I have left, to be hurt because of our relationship. I want my uncle protected, too."

"It's done, Bella," I said. "It'll be subtle, but he will be protected."

She nodded, looking at the clock. "Shit! I have to go to class!" Bella tried to get up and nearly fell in the tangle of sheets. I caught her before she collapsed. "Edward, I have to go."

"Bella, you have a concussion," I said, holding her squirming, writhing body. She gasped, collapsing against me. "And damage to your ribs." She cried, her entire body shaking from her sobs. " _Dolce_ , you need to calm down."

"I've got too much to do … my classes, my job … FUCK! My apartment," she said, her voice hysterical. I swept her into my arms and sat down on the overstuffed chair in the corner. I held her in my lap, cradling her tenderly. She eventually sagged against me, exhaustion washing over her. "What am I going to do?"

"Let's talk about all of it," I said, tucking her head under my chin. She melted against me, idly playing with the buttons of my wrinkled dress shirt. "With that asshole who attacked you, I think it's best that you stop working for your uncle."

"I need my paycheck to pay for my classes, Edward," she muttered.

"Which brings me to my next point … since we're engaged …"

"Without a ring," she deadpanned.

"That will be remedied, I promise you," I vowed, cupping her chin and looking into her espresso depths. "I want to get you something that represents your beauty, your strength and your tenacity." She blinked, her bruised face breaking my heart. "Back to what I was saying. I'm not going to renege on my promise to pay for your education. I will pay your tuition."

"Edward …" she argued.

"No, _dolce_ ," I argued back. "I don't want you pulling insane hours and being out unprotected. So, I'll pay for your graduate classes. My fiancée is going to get a top-notch education. And you will be protected. I am going to have interviews for your body guard today or tomorrow. I want you to sit in on the interviews. I want you to feel safe with the man I'm entrusting your safety to."

"I have classes tomorrow, too," she whispered.

"Send an email to your professors and explain that you were in an accident. You will be out the rest of the week, Bella," I said.

"I think my laptop was ruined in the struggle," she grumbled. "Another expense."

I took out my cell phone. _Angela, I need a MacBook, completely tricked out, insured and password protected by the end of the day today ~ E.C._

 _I'll get it from IT, boss. You coming in today? ~ Angela_

 _Family emergency … I'll be back tomorrow. Thanks, Ang. You're awesome ~ E.C._

"You've got a laptop," I said, arching a brow. She opened her mouth to argue. "Isabella … what's mine is yours."

"You don't even know me," she said, getting up and stumbling toward. She opened a door, finding my closet. Turning to another door, she saw my safe. "For fuck's sake … where's the bathroom?" I opened the door next to the chair and she slipped inside. I could hear her crying, again my heart shattering. I got up and made some coffee, along with some breakfast. Putting it onto a tray, I walked back into my bedroom. Bella was out of the bathroom, curled up into a tiny ball on the chair. "I don't know if I can do this, Edward."

I put the tray onto the chest at the foot of my bed. I crouched down, taking her hands. "Bella, on some level, there was an attraction between us."

"You're hot. I'm a troll compared to you," she snorted. "Even more so now. My face is bruised horribly."

"Bella, you're gorgeous and these bruises will fade, _dolce_ ," I said, tucking a curl behind her ear. "Now, I'm going to lay down the ground rules about your protection."

"Is this the Mafia Don talking?" she asked.

"Yes. Your safety is paramount. If something happens to you, it's on me," I said, taking her battered face into my hands. "I'm paying for your education. I'm providing you with a security guard. You're not working at The Swan Dive. And you're moving in with me."

"What?!" Bella screeched. "My apartment … it's my apartment … I don't want to …"

"Bella, they know where you live. Your building is not secure. And I don't want to lose you," I said, my voice cracking on the last statement. "I may be a Mafia prince, but this Mafia prince cares about you, probably more than I should. I couldn't stop thinking about you. If something happened to you … I don't know what I'd do, _dolce._ I want you to move in here. Obviously, you can have your own room and we can redecorate it however you want."

She thrust her hands into her hair and she grimaced. "I get why you're being so vigilant, but this is a lot." She sat back, looking out the window. "I've got a headache and my stomach is unsettled. Can I …?"

"Of course. I'm going to do some work. If you need me, just hit #1 on the phone and it'll connect with my office here in my condo," I said. I got up and smoothed my shirt. "And you can't leave, _dolce_."

"Where would I go? I don't have any clothes," she grumbled. "I can't exactly leave in your boxers and button-down."

"True," I snorted. "I'll have my personal shopper pick up some things for you."

"I can get my stuff from my apartment," she said, swiping a bagel from the tray and nibbling it.

"Unfortunately, all of your belongings in the apartment … they're a total loss. Your clothes were destroyed. Whoever did this …" I trailed off. "Let me get you some new clothes for you. I promise to keep it casual." She nodded, sliding between the sheets and laying down. "Bella, I know that probably hate me …"

"I don't hate you," she whispered. "I don't know what to think." Her voice was slurring and her eyes were drooping. I sat down next to her, running my finger down her bruised cheek. She sighed, burrowing deeper into the bedding and her quiet snores filled the room.

"I'll keep you safe, _dolce_ ," I vowed. I leaned down, kissing her temple before grabbing a pair of jeans and a clean button-down. I showered in the guest bathroom and went to my office. I spoke with Jasper and arranged for interviews with several of men he deemed worthy to protect Bella and her family. I also talked to Seth. Bella's apartment had been trashed. Nothing was salvageable. I asked him to take anything that could be saved, especially any mementos, pictures, and her school books. Seth didn't make any promises, but he'd try. My next call was to the personal shopper, asking for a variety of casual clothes, jeans, sweaters and such for Bella. I also asked for some dresses, as well. I told her to contact Alice about sizing because I had no idea what size Bella wore. She was tiny, very tiny. Almost too tiny, too delicate.

The last call was to my mother. "Edward, how are you, my son?" she crooned.

"Good. I'm good," I said. "I …"

"What is it, sweetheart? Is it Emmett? Your father? You?" she asked, her voice turning strident.

"Mom, we're all fine," I said. "I just wanted to let you know that I met someone."

"Someone … _someone?_ " she squealed. "Someone that you could envision a future with?"

"Yes," I breathed. "Mom, I think she's the one."

"Well, don't rush into anything, Edward," Mom chided. "But, there's no harm in _looking_ at engagement rings."

"I was thinking of giving her Nonni's," I said.

"Edward, that ring is downright gaudy and the diamond is murky," she said. "If this woman is special, you need to get her something that reflects her, not some hand-me-down. I know that you loved Nonni, but your grandfather had awful taste in jewelry. Your father tried to pawn that ugly thing on me and I said no thank you."

"Let me see it before I make that decision," I mumbled. "You're probably right …"

"But, if this girl is nothing to write home about, you'd be doing the family a great service," Mom laughed.

"Ma," I growled. "This girl, this woman, is educated, funny, smart, gorgeous and tenacious. She complements me in a way that I never expected, but she's not accustomed to our world."

"I want to meet her," Mom cooed.

"Not quite yet, Mom," I said. "She was recently in a car accident and is laid up for the time being. However, I'm planning on bringing her to the Black and White Ball for Police Retirement Fund."

"Ooooh, I'm so excited! Perhaps she can go shopping with Alice, Rose and me for her dress," Mom said, the excitement evident in her voice.

"I'll let her know," I said, grinning crookedly.

"And what's this dream girl's name?" Mom asked, her voice taking on a wistful quality.

"Isabella Swan," I answered. "She prefers to be called Bella."

"Is she Italian? With a name like Isabella, she might be Italian. Oh, that would be perfect," Mom breathed. "I'm so happy for you, Edward Anthony."

"Thanks, Mom," I said. "I'll talk to Bella and yeah, I'll let her know about the shopping thing."

"I'll warn Rose to be nice. You know how she is with newcomers," Mom snorted. "Love you, sweetie."

"Love you, too," I answered, ending the call. I worked for a few hours until my stomach started snarling. I got up, checking on Bella. She was still asleep. I called Alice, asking if she should sleep with her head injury. Alice assured me that the concussion was mild and that what she needed was rest. I reheated some soup and warmed up some crusty bread. I walked into the bedroom and gently woke up Bella. " _Dolce,_ you need to eat."

She blinked blearily. "It smells good. You can cook?"

"I can microwave," I snickered. "I have a cook and she made this baked potato soup, which I ran out on because this gorgeous damsel in distress needed me."

"I'm sorry," she muttered, rubbing her eyes.

"Bella, please. Do _not_ apologize. It's my fault you were attacked," I sighed. "That's why I want to make sure you're safe." She sighed, sitting up and groaning. I placed the tray over her legs. "Eat and then you can have some medication for your head. Dr. Whitlock's orders."

"I need to email my professors and the director of the children's home," she said.

"I'll get my laptop. I'll be your secretary. Alice said you also need to limit your screen time. Whatever that means," I shrugged. "Please, eat." She nodded, tucking into the soup. I went to my office, grabbing my laptop and moving so I was sitting next to her on the bed. "Where do I need to go?"

"Go to the Northwestern website. I can access my student email account from there," she said. I did as she asked and she logged in. "Now, I know what Alice means. It hurts to look at the computer screen."

"Who do I need to contact?" I asked, opening a new mail window. She listed her professors, an advisor and the director of the children's home. "Do you trust me to write the email?"

"What are you going to say?" she said, nibbling on the bread.

"'I'm emailing you to inform you that I was recently involved in an accident. I bruised my ribs and have a moderate concussion. Per my doctor's instructions, I'm to stay home until next Monday. Please find attached a scan of the doctor's note explaining my condition. Also, I will need an extension on any assignments due to the severity of my concussion. I'm not to use computers or do any sort of reading because I get a migraine from the stress and straining my eyes. Again, this is all explained in the medical note from Dr. Alice Whitlock. Thank you for your understanding and I'll see you on Monday.' Sound good?"

"I have a doctor's note?" Bella asked.

I turned the computer around, showing her a scan of Alice's diagnosis and medical release. "Alice is good." Turning the computer back around, I sent off the email. "I blind copied myself on this email, as well as Jasper and Seth, who are involved with finding the asshole who did this to you. Could you recognize him?"

"No. He was wearing a hood and hat. All I could tell you was that he was white," Bella shrugged. "And big. Bigger than you. He threw me like I weighed nothing."

"Eye color?" I pressed.

"Dark, but it was also dark out. I couldn't see much," she mumbled. "But, his hands were white, or perhaps a light-skinned Hispanic? I don't know."

"When he spoke, did he have an accent?"

"Chicago accent," she shrugged. "A really bad Chicago accent."

"That's very good, Bella," I said, taking her hand. She didn't pull away and even pressed her cheek to my shoulder. I kissed the crown of her head. "You should eat more."

"You really are Italian. Food is the panacea for everything," she quipped.

"My mother's braciola can cure cancer," I snickered. She giggled and it was nice. Her laughter was soft and sweet, like her.

"You're Italian but your last name is Cullen. Not in the Irish Mob, are you?" she asked.

"Nope. I'm not sure if you remember, but my great-great grandfather's name was Masoni, but changed it to Cullen," I shrugged. "We still have family in Italy, just outside of Naples. How about you? With a name like Isabella …?"

"I'm a mutt," she said, twining her fingers with mine. It was then that I saw some defensive wounds on her hands. I bit back a growl, angered once again that this innocent creature had been marred by my dark world. "I think I have a little Italian in me, along with German, Irish, Polish, Russian, French and Native American. Uncle Jimmy did that Ancestry DNA analysis. I did it with him. So, yeah. A total mutt." She yawned and looked up at me. "Are you always this attentive?"

"Not usually, _dolce_ ," I answered honestly. "I'm usually an asshole."

"I won't dispute that. You proposed marriage on our first date," she deadpanned.

"Probably not my smartest move," I quipped. "But, when it came to women …" I trailed off, hating my history. "Fuck …"

"Tell me. I have a right to know," Bella said, removing her hand from mine.

"You do, but I don't want you to hate me any more than you already do," I hissed out. She waited, crossing her arms. "Women were nothing more than …"

"You fucked them," she said.

"Essentially, yes," I grumbled, feeling like a chastised child. "But, as I told you, women who wanted me wanted the prestige and were gold-digging tramps, wanting to leach off my wealth. I couldn't get attached."

"Why me?" she asked. "Why did you single me out? I'm obviously much younger than you."

"Because …" I breathed. I looked at her, seeing the fire in her eyes. "Because, you're _everything_ I could ever want in a woman, and more. Yes, you're younger than me, but that doesn't negate that I feel something on a deeper level. I never felt that before. When we kissed, my stomach was assaulted by butterflies and I wanted to keep you in my arms. You make me laugh. You keep me on my toes. And the fact that you told me that you weren't going to fuck me … god damn, it made me as hard as a rock because … fuck, you were so decisive and powerful."

"That makes absolutely no sense," she said.

"You're right. It doesn't, but I can't help my pervy body," I snorted. "On top of all that, you're just _good._ You bring me light in my dark world. I want to come home and be able to … I don't know. I just know that I wanted you. Some may call it lust. Jasper, my best friend and body guard says I'm thinking with my pecker, but for the first time, I'm trusting my heart. Not my head." I looked down at her and she was twisting the sheets, shifting uncomfortably. "Bella, I have to be sharp in my world. I can't let things like love get in the way, but I feel something toward you. I want to protect you. I want to see you smile, hear you laugh and share the good things with you. Selfishly, I also want someone to help me make the ugly disappear. You do that with just a smile."

"But, because I knew you, I got the shit beaten out of me," she said.

"I wish I could take all of this away," I muttered. "No man should _ever_ hit a woman."

"Have you ever killed a woman?" she asked.

"No. Nor have I called for a hit on a woman. As chauvinistic as it is, it's a man's world. Women are revered and cared for in my line of work. If a wife, daughter, or even a mistress is hurt or taken out, it's war. So, you must understand that whoever did this will pay dearly," I said, my voice becoming cold. "You may not have been my fiancée at the time, but you are now and we will find the person who did this to you."

"And kill them?"

"If it's warranted," I sighed. "I'm not a monster, Bella. I don't want to be. It's the position in which I was groomed. I've killed people. Sometimes with my bare hands, but all of them … deserved it. But, I've never hurt a woman and never will."

"This is going to take some time," she sighed. "I appreciate the lengths at which you're protecting me. I truly do, but it's hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that you've killed people. Maybe it's the concussion or maybe it's the illegal activities, like murder." She eyed me dubiously. "How much of your life is illegal and how much of it is legit?"

"40/60," I answered. "It used to be more illegal, but my father really cleaned things up. I'm hoping to do more of the same." The doorbell buzzed. I reached across the bed, answering with the intercom. "Yes?"

"Zafrina is here with the clothes you ordered from Nordstroms and Neiman-Marcus, Mr. Cullen. Shall I send her up?" asked the doorman.

"Yes, please," I replied. I looked at her and she seemed shell-shocked. "You needed clothes."

"I was thinking more along the lines of Target or Old Navy," she said, giving me a glower.

"Get used to it, _dolce_ ," I smirked. I got up and took the tray of food from her. The doorbell rang and Zafrina came in with several large bags. Her assistant, Tia, was behind her with garment bags. Finally, the doorman had a large cart, stacked with boxes. "Wow …"

"Alice told me that your fiancée needed everything," Zafrina said. "I got everything. If there's items she doesn't like, call me and I'll exchange them."

"Thanks, Zafrina," I said, giving her a large tip. "How much did this spree cost me?"

"About the yearly salary of a teacher," she quipped. "But, your fiancée will be the best dressed!" She kissed my cheek, dragging her assistant with her. The doorman unloaded the last of the boxes and he left as well, with a gallant bow.

Once they were gone, Bella's eyes bugged out when she saw everything. "Holy shit!" she gasped. "Edward …"

"You needed clothes," I said.

"Clothes … not the entire fall line from Dior," she squeaked. "I …"

"Breathe, _dolce_ ," I said, walking over to her. "Deep breaths." I took her face into my hands and we breathed together. "This is me taking care of you. I want to do this."

She blinked a few times, settling down. "Next time, let me shop on my own. Please?" she asked.

"Next time," I said, kissing her forehead. "But, with my credit card."

 **BPOV**

How did I get here?

Living with a criminal?

Having a wardrobe that Taylor Swift would be jealous of? _Though, having choices is quite sweet. These jeans make my ass look great._

Getting married to said criminal? _And where's my damned engagement ring?_

God, that sounded catty. I spent the rest of the week in Edward's condo, trying to get the bruising on my face to go down. I iced and tried fruitlessly to cover the ugliness with makeup, but no luck. Instead, I looked like a clown. I didn't normally wear makeup and trying to hide deep purple bruises? Not a good idea.

I also sat in on interviews for my security team. Jacob was going to be my six-foot-seven shadow. He was huge and willing to take a bullet for me. If Jacob wasn't going to be with me, Jasper, Edward's personal body guard would shadow me. I liked Jasper more than Jacob. Well, that was because Jasper could carry on a conversation. He had a lazy, southern drawl and an easy-going demeanor. He could actually speak in more than monosyllabic responses.

Jacob? He grunted. His responses were barely intelligible. The only thing he had going for him was his size. He was not going to win any beauty pageants with his perpetually scowl and scarred face. Nor would he get a scholarship to the Ivy League. I wouldn't be surprised if he signed his name with an 'X'.

 _Me. Jacob. I grunt. Argh! Fight! Blood! Guns!_

Was this my new life? Apparently so … Fuck me.

My professors were understanding about my 'accident,' granting me extensions on my assignments. I had until the end of the semester to complete major papers and an additional two weeks for daily assignments. They understood the dangers of concussions. And honestly, I don't even think I could focus on anything more than a few moments. My head would begin to pound and my vision would blur.

However, today, I was having a conversation with Uncle Jimmy. Edward was going to drive me to The Swan Dive. I was still bruised. I looked awful and I was in immense amounts of pain. We were going with the lie that I was in an accident and _not_ attacked. I hated lying to Uncle Jimmy, but he couldn't know the truth. I had to keep him protected as much as possible. He was the only family I had. He loved me like a daughter and I couldn't lose him.

"Bella, are you ready?" Edward asked. I blinked up, looking at my _fiancé._ He was dressed in a pair of dark-wash jeans and a black sweater, with a black leather jacket. All the black made his emerald green eyes pop, which was a weakness of mine. He looked handsome, but also so very dangerous. The way he acted with me, though, was a contradiction. He was calm, tender, sweet and very protective.

I knew the truth about him, though.

 _Not the whole truth, but enough to keep me in line. God, I sound like I'm being held without a choice. I could leave. Edward said I could, but that asshole who attacked me was still out there._

So, I choose to stay, even while knowing the truth about him, his family and his life. I knew that underneath his coat, he wore a gun, with another strapped around his ankle. His business was a front for his illegal dealings and hefty payouts kept the police in the dark. That should have terrified me, but instead it made me feel safe. Does that make _me_ a criminal?

 _"Dolce?"_ Edward murmured, his hand moving to cup my cheek. His hands were soft and so sure. I should be freaking out, but his calm, soothing demeanor and his confident actions made me feel safe, protected. His anger when he heard I was attacked also sweet. I knew he'd _never_ hurt me. Not physically. _Emotionally, that may be a different story._ "We can go another day."

"No, I want to talk to Uncle Jimmy. I have to talk to him! He must be freaking out because my cell phone was lost in the scuffle," I whispered. "I haven't been to work …" I blinked up at him. His green eyes were swirling with concern and his brows were furrowed. "I also want to go to my apartment."

"Bella," he growled, moving away and stomping to the window. "Your apartment … it was obliterated by those _mostri._ "

"I want to see if there's anything in there," I whispered. "I have pictures of my dad, memories. I don't have much, but I want to keep those." My voice cracked and he turned to me, his face was torn. I felt tears on my bruised cheeks. He enfolded me into a hug and I leaned against him, inhaling his clean, masculine scent. Tentatively, I wrapped my arms around his waist. His arms tightened and he cupped my head, holding me closely to his body.

"We'll go, _dolce_ ," Edward said. "But, after that, you're not going back to that apartment or to that neighborhood. It's not safe. There are criminals out there."

"Edward," I snorted, pulling back and giving him a wry look. "You're a criminal, too."

"I have principles," he said, grinning wolfishly. I rolled my eyes, which made him chuckle. He handed me a leather jacket and pressed something into my palm. "A new cell phone, Bella. I've already set it up for you, adding my number, Jasper, and Jake's. Alice is also on there and don't freak out, a tracking chip."

"I'm not a dog, Edward," I sneered.

"No, but you could be taken and I have to find a way to keep you safe, Bella," he said, his voice deepening and his eyes darkening. "I take the responsibility of keeping those I care for safe _extremely_ seriously. And I do care for you a great deal. Probably more than I realized or ever expected, _dolce_. If something else happened to you, I don't know what I'd do."

I looked up at him, seeing the fear in his eyes. It wasn't apparent, but it was there. He did, in some strange way, care about me and losing me, freaked him the fuck out. "Okay, I'm sorry," I murmured.

"And I'm not tracking you to keep you under my thumb, Bella. It's for your safety," he said. "I'm a powerful, but dangerous man. I've made a lot of enemies, as you are well aware. I can't have a repeat of this." He traced the bruises under my eyes and he cupped my cheek. "You're far too beautiful …" He stepped closer, his eyes gazing into mine.

I stared back, lost in his crystalline orbs, but when his cell phone rang, the spell was broken. He picked up his phone. "Cullen," he barked. He listened and nodded. "Yeah, Dad. Tonight, I got it … I'll take Jasper with me. I'll see you later."

"Everything okay?" I asked.

He nodded, but didn't expand the phone call. Usually, when he got quiet like that, it meant it had something to do with the _illegal_ part of his life. "We should go, _dolce_ ," he said. He handed me a pair of sunglasses. I took them, slipping them over my bruised face. "Very Jackie O, Bella. I like it."

"You picked them," I snorted. He chuckled, tugging my hand and leading me to the elevator. We rode down to the basement and clambered into a waiting SUV. It was black, big and probably armored. Jasper was in the driver's seat, with Jacob in the passenger's seat. Edward helped me into the massive vehicle, practically lifting me into the leather seats. With a nod to Jasper, the car left the garage and drove out into the sunny streets of Chicago. The leaves had fallen and winter was just around the corner.

Edward took my hand, twining our fingers together. I should have pulled away. I should have put my hand into my pocket, not encouraging this, but, the warmth of his palm radiating up my arm and providing me with the calm I needed. His thumb danced along my knuckles as he read through emails on his phone. I liked that feeling.

 _Can you say Stockholm Syndrome?_

I'm not being held against my will. GAH! I'm going into this, by my own choice. Edward is being nothing but a gentleman. He gave up his bedroom and has turned his life upside down to keep me safe.

The car pulled up to the curb outside of The Swan Dive. I gulped, thinking about Uncle Jimmy and his reaction to what had happened. My _accident_. I really hated lying. It also didn't help that I sucked at it.

"You ready, _dolce?_ " Edward asked.

"Yeah," I sighed, closing my eyes behind the dark frames. He kissed my knuckles, sliding out of the car before me and helping me out. We went into The Swan Dive and Victoria was actually _working_. She was waiting the tables and taking orders. It was surreal. When she turned around to acknowledge us, she glared at me.

"Nice of you to show up. You've missed three shifts, Isabella," she snapped. She whipped off her apron. "Here, you take this apron. I'm going on my break." She held out her apron and arched an overly-plucked brow, daring me to respond.

"I'm here to talk to Uncle Jimmy," I said. "Is he in the back?"

"He's in his office, but I need to take my break," Victoria hissed, thrusting the apron into my hands. I let it fall to the ground and walked behind the counter, Edward following me. "You can't go back there, sir! It's for employees only!"

Edward didn't respond, but kept on my heels as I maneuvered in the kitchen to Uncle Jimmy's office. I knocked on the door, poking my head inside. "Jimmy?"

"Bells!" he breathed, looking up and frowning. "What's with the bug-eye glasses?"

"Oh!" I gasped, removing them and tossing them into my hair.

"What the fuck happened to you?" he growled, shooting up from his seat and taking my face in his hands. "Who do I need to fuck up?"

"I was in an accident, Uncle Jimmy," I said. "I'm okay. A little banged up, but no permanent damage. You should have seen me a few days ago."

"I tried calling you, but the phone was disconnected," Uncle Jimmy said.

"It was broken in the accident. I just got a new phone today," I murmured, moving him so we were in the office. I sat down at one of the chair, while Edward hovered by the door.

"Who's the stiff?" Uncle Jimmy asked.

"The guy who helped me. This is Edward Cullen. He's been in the diner before," I said.

"Nice to meet you," Edward said, holding out his hand. "The Swan Dive has the best steak on the near north."

"My mom's secret marinade is the trick," Jimmy chuckled. "James Swan. Thank you for watching out for my girl. I was worried sick. And when I went to check on her apartment, to see if she was there … there was police tape with a plywood door."

"Yeah, my apartment was broken into," I muttered. "I've been staying with friends." My uncle didn't need to know that I was shacking up with Edward. The less he knew, the better. _God, I suck._

"I'm glad you're okay, Bells," Jimmy breathed. "I was worried, very worried. I love you, kiddo."

"I love you, too, Uncle Jimmy," I whispered. "Look, with all that happened, I can't really work … my ribs are sort of fucked up and I'm getting over a concussion."

"Bella, you don't even worry," Jimmy said. "I'm sorry that you were hurt and take all of the time you need, sweetie. You shouldn't even be working. You should be focusing on getting that graduate degree, girl."

"Get Vicky off my back, then," I grumbled.

"She's still pissed at me and now, you, for making her come in and earning her goddamned pay check," Jimmy deadpanned. "I'll deal with her. What about school?"

"Because I have a concussion, I'm off until Monday and then I got extended time for my assignments," I explained. I got up and hugged my uncle. He smelled like grease from the fryer and smoke from his favorite brand of cigarettes, but he reminded me of my dad and I needed that strength.

"Bells, I'm here, sweetie," he said, rubbing my back.

"I know," I whispered. "I love you, Uncle Jimmy. I'm so lucky to have you in my life."

"To the moon and back, kid," he said, kissing my forehead. "What about your apartment?"

"I'm helping her move out," Edward replied from the door. "Today, we're going to see if there's anything salvageable, memories and whatnot. Then, we're effectively ending her lease."

"Do you need help? I can lend you some cash if they try to give you some bullshit about breaking your lease," Jimmy said. "Your apartment was broken into … you have every right to move out without any sort of penalty."

"I'm fine," I said, wiping my face and giving him, what I thought was, a believable smile. Jimmy didn't really respond, but he did hug me again. It hurt, but I snuggled against my last living relative and relished in his protectiveness. "Oh, my new number." I took out my phone and dialed Jimmy's cell phone. "That's the best way to reach me."

"Got it, Bells. Call me when you get settled and just keep me up to date. I got to keep my best girl safe," he chuckled, winking at me. "Edward, it was nice to meet you. Thank you for helping Bella. She can be a danger magnet. If there's trouble, she'll find it."

"I'm beginning to see that," Edward replied dryly. He took my hand, kissing my knuckles. "Shall we, _dolce_?"

"Are you two an item?" Jimmy asked, batting his eyelashes.

"It's very new," I blurted. Edward nodded, sliding his arm around my waist. "We met here, at the diner."

"Oh, right. I remember you … you went on a date the next day after you closed," Jimmy beamed. "Good. You deserve some romance and fun. You work too hard, Bells. Live your life." Then, he scowled at his desk. "Back to paperwork. You've got a better head for this, Bells, but since you're taking some time, I need figure this shit out."

"You could have Vicky help," I quipped.

"Fuck. No. I'd be bankrupt," Jimmy deadpanned. He tugged on his hair. "Call me tonight, kiddo."

I nodded and kissed his cheek. Edward twined our fingers together, leading back through the kitchen. Vicky was still serving people, but was looking quite disgruntled. "Bye, Vicky."

"What about my break?" she screeched.

"I'm taking some time," I said, turning to look at her and showing her my bruised face. "I was in an accident and I've got a concussion. Sleep, rest and away from _LOUD NOISES_ is the prescription." I smirked, turning on my heel as she silently fumed. Outside, Edward helped me into the SUV and we rode to my old apartment. I began shaking, afraid of seeing its state. I vaguely remember what it was like, but I was concussed and confused, crying from the violence from the attack.

"I'll be right by your side, Bella," Edward murmured. He slid me closer to him, holding me to his side. My shaking turned to violent tremors. "We don't have to go."

"I want to see it," I whispered, barely audible. Edward nodded and the SUV stopped in front of my building. I tugged out my keys and we walked up the rickety stairs. Edward kept me tucked behind him. He opened the door, which was a piece of plywood since my door had been obliterated. The apartment was completely trashed. My furniture had been torn to shreds, walls had been ripped apart and all my drawers, cabinets and closets had been tossed. "How am I going to pay for these damages?"

"You're not," Edward said. "It's covered, Bella. Everything in here is replaceable. You're not."

"Memories of my father …" I trailed off. I went into my bedroom and looked in my closet. Photo albums and his old shield had been spared, thankfully. I took them, hugging them to my chest. Edward sat next to me, placing items that I could take into a box. An hour or so later, I had everything that was from my father, along with some childhood mementos. Everything else was not even worth saving. Edward was looking at a photo of me, with my dad. It was taken my junior year of high school, right before he was diagnosed with cancer.

"You look like him," Edward said. "Same coloring and wise smiles."

"I have my dad's eyes, but the rest is my mother," I shrugged. I found a picture of her, when she was younger.

"Your petite stature and face shape are hers, but you look more like your dad. However, you're far more beautiful than him. And I don't think facial hair would work for you," he quipped.

I tugged a strand from my ponytail, pretending it was a mustache, like my father had worn. "This isn't hot?"

"Not really, no," he snorted. He moved it away and his thumb caressed my lips. "Much better, but regardless, you're gorgeous."

"My face looks like a paint-by-number picture," I said.

"The bruises are fading, _dolce_ ," he murmured. "And you are gorgeous … _exquisite._ You have a classic beauty." I blushed, ducking my head down and taking the photo of my mom from his hand. I looked around the room and got up, picking up the box. I squeaked, my ribs barking at the weight of the box. Edward took it from me and handed it to Jacob, who was in the living room. Edward looked at me, his eyes swirling with concern. "Are you okay? Do I need to call Alice?"

"I just moved funny. I'll be fine," I hissed out, trying to let the pain subside. It did, a little and we were able to walk down the stairs, but I had to rely heavily on Edward's strength to get down. Once in the SUV, the box we'd packed was in the back and we drove back to Edward's condo.

"Alice is going to be at home," Edward said. "She'll probably giving something stronger to help calm down the pain you're feeling. I'm having the apartment emptied and I'm writing your landlord, ending your lease."

I could have fought him on it, but instead, I just leaned my head back and looked over at him, whispering, "Thank you."

 **A/N: Here's our second chapter. I'm probably going to be splitting the chapter like this … using both POVs. Up next will be Bella's return to school, meeting Esme and going shopping for the Black and White Ball. Will Edward get her the engagement ring by then? Or will she be his date?**

 **Leave me some loving!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you for everyone who competed in the We 3 Mobward contest. So many great Mobwards … so little time. Here's the next chapter of _Married to the Mob_.** **All things Twilight belong solely to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I hope you enjoy this! Thanks for reading! Also, thanks to Christina Downs for betaing for me in the contest. You rock, girlie!**

 **And to Clo … my dearest Clo ~ You are a goddess of banner making. I love what you created for me for _Married to the Mob_. So. Freaking. Hot. MWAH! **

**Up next will be Bella's return to school, meeting Esme and going shopping for the Black and White Ball. Will Edward get her the engagement ring by then? Or will she be his date?**

 **Chapter Three**

 **BPOV**

"I can take you to school," Edward said. He was dressed in a black suit with a charcoal grey shirt and black tie. "I don't want you …"

"I'm fine. Jacob texted me, only misspelling a handful of words," I smirked. My face was nearly normal, with some residual bruising. Alice came over early and applied some makeup, hiding the remaining injuries. She was quite adept at applying makeup and I still looked like me, not like a damned clown.

"I know that Jacob is not the sharpest tool in the shed," Edward said, sipping his espresso. "However, he's muscular and wicked fast with a gun."

"It's just weird to have to decrypt a text," I said, showing him my phone. Edward wrinkled his nose and blinked a few times. "Do you understand what he said?"

"Uh, sure?" he quipped, grinning crookedly.

"Then, please, enlighten me, Edward," I deadpanned.

There was a knock at the door and Edward chuckled. "Get ready. He's here."

"Ass," I grumbled as he walked past me, to open the door. I finished my breakfast and rinsed off my dishes. Jacob followed Edward into the condo. He was dressed in all black, looking very obvious. "Dude, he's going to be noticed. Can't he dress like a student?"

"How does a student dress?" Edward asked.

"Jeans, backpack?" I replied. I gestured to my own clothing. I was in a pair of skinny jeans, a pair of boots and sweater. "Creepy, protector guy. Normal-looking graduate student. Huge difference."

"Jake, tomorrow, lose the black," Edward ordered. "Apparently, you're noticeable."

"I'm six-seven. I'm going to be noticed," Jacob shrugged. "But, okay. You ready, Miss Bella?"

"Just Bella," I sighed. "And yes. I can already feel a migraine building."

"You can take more time," Edward said, walking to me and running his fingers down my cheek. "I don't want you to push yourself."

"I'm this close to the end of the semester, Edward. I'm not taking any more time," I replied. I picked up my leather jacket, scarf and hat. Jacob picked up my new leather satchel, complete with a new MacBook Pro, iPad and iPod Touch. I was all tricked out in Apple. I grabbed my purse and slid it over my body. Edward walked over to me, a coy smile touching his lips. "What?"

He handed me a black credit card. "For you, Miss Swan," he replied.

"A Black AMEX?" I squeaked. "No. Just, no."

"Yes," he argued, opening my purse and sliding it into my wallet. "Please, _dolce?_ I know that you're stressing out because you're not working."

"I still have some cash from my tips," I retorted sullenly.

"Keep that for something for _you_ ," he replied. He handed me back my wallet and grinned sweetly. "Have fun at school today. Are you going to the children's home?"

"The director told me to come back after the first of the year," I answered. "I agreed to it since I'm still not all there. My head is really pounding."

"If it's still bad, please come back home," Edward murmured. He reached into his pocket and handed me a set of keys, on a swan key chain. "Keys to the condo. This one gets you into the building and this is to open the door. You'll need a passcode to get up the elevator. It's 1918."

I took out my phone, jotting down that information and nodded. "Thank you," I replied. Edward kissed my forehead and stepped back, his pale cheeks a subtle pink. I gave him an appreciative smile before following Jake down to the garage. He drove a silver Volvo, taking the corners a little too fast. "Speed Racer, I'm getting over a concussion. I'd rather not get another one. Slow down a bit, will ya?" He smirked at me, slowing down minutely and arriving at Northwestern. "Jake, I know that you're supposed to follow me, but I'd prefer that you stay out of my classes. They're smaller and … you are _noticeable._ "

"I'm supposed to stay with you at all times, Bella," he said, his voice low and menacing.

"Sit outside of the classroom. Read a book. Play on your cell phone," I suggested. Jake shot me a look, saying that neither tickled his fancy. "You can't be in there with me."

"Boss isn't going to like this," Jake grunted. "If I dress more like a student, can I be in class with you?"

"No, Jake," I sighed, pinching my nose. "Look, I know you've got a job to do, but so do I. I want to finish my degree. I'm halfway through it. My classes, we have ten to twelve people in them. It's not like a huge lecture hall of students."

He pursed his lips. "I'm going to have to inform Edward about this," he said, like it was some sort of threat.

"You do that," I snapped, getting out of the car and picking up my purse and satchel, grunting in pain in my ribs. Jake got out, taking the bag from me. He glowered as we walked through the quad to the psychology building. I watched all around me, checking to see if the guy who attacked me was among the students. I was on edge and Jake must have noticed. He practically hovered over me, his hand on the small of my back. Arriving at my class, he handed me my bag. "This is a two-hour seminar. After that, I have another class in this same building, across the hall."

"I know. I have your schedule," Jake replied. "Boss would like to meet you for lunch since you don't have class until two."

"I normally work in the libr …" I trailed off, my heart stammering. I paled, sprinting to the bathroom and barely making it before throwing up my breakfast. Jake was inside the ladies room, blocking the door. I was shaking and crying. "God, this sucks." I knew I was probably suffering from a mild form of PTSD, which was not surprising. "You have any gum?"

Jake handed me a piece and regarded me with frown. "I think you should go back to the condo, Bella," he said.

"I can't let this define who I am, Jacob," I said, swishing some water in my mouth and tossing in the piece of gum. "But, tell Edward, I'll meet him for lunch. I don't think … I can't go to the library." Jacob nodded and took out his phone, sending a brief message. I needed to go, at some point, since I had several papers where I needed to research using the books in said library, but not now. With another deep breath, making my ribs scream in agony, I pulled myself together and went into the classroom. Jacob followed me, handing me my belongings. He was concerned. "I'm okay. I'll be okay."

"Fine," he said tersely. "Right outside, Bella." He pointed to a bench across the hall. "I'll be right here. Don't do anything stupid, like leave." I nodded and he turned on his heel, sitting down on the bench, his arms crossed and a glower on his face. I sighed, taking out my new laptop and opening my document program. I had everything saved on a remote hard drive, so all my work was not lost, but it was a pain in the ass to transfer everything to this new contraption Edward got for me. I was used to PC laptops and Apple was proving to be a challenge for me.

My professor walked in and the lecture began in earnest. I took notes, participated in the class discussion and focused on something other than how fucked up my life was. When the class was done, I spoke with my professor about my missing work. She told me to take my time and that my health was more important than my case studies. I was appreciative of that. With a nervous smile, I left my class and moved to my next one. Jake carried my bag. He was still glowering. "Who pissed in your cheerios?"

"You did," he grunted as we moved me to my next class. It was a statistics course and I hated math. My professor in this class was an asshole, giving me the most grief about my injury. However, when the department head and my advisor found out that he was being a douche, he got a nasty-gram, with me included, about how the university took head injuries seriously. "And Edward is not _happy_ with you being in your classes alone."

"I'm not alone, Jake. I have my classmates, my teachers," I replied snarkily. He sighed. "Look, I understand your job and all, but …"

"But, what? You were attacked on this campus, Bella," Jake said, arching a bushy brow. "I know you think I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed. I know I'm not. I've got a learning disability and I'm dyslexic, but I'm good with my hands and with my weapons. I feel fucking helpless not being in there with you. Edward is feeling worse. He's got the guilt that you were hurt because of _him_."

My statistics professor, Dr. Gerandy, came into the room, scowling at me and Jacob. With a grumble, Jacob pointed to his bench and sat down, crossing his arms petulantly. I settled into a chair in the back, avoiding my professor's disgruntled look on his face. He went over the lecture and collected the homework. I turned in what I could finish before my head was about to explode. "I can't accept half-completed work, Ms. Swan. If you turn this in, you'll receive a zero," he said coldly. "I know that you had some sort of accident and that Rivara is bending over backwards to appease this concussion lie …"

"I do have a concussion," I snapped, handing him a photo copy of the Alice's doctor report. "I'm pushing it now, being back already. Are you going to accept what Dr. Rivara said about my extensions and modifications?"

Gerandy gave me a glare, snatching the assignment from me and tossing it into his bag. He pushed past me, causing me to stumble and I gasped as I fell against the wall, jarring my ribs. Jacob stopped him and growled. "Apologize, asshole."

"Who are you?" Gerandy snapped.

"A friend. Do you not see that she's struggling?" Jacob hissed, turning him harshly. Gerandy's eyes widened as I leaned against the wall, pain contorting my face. "Fucking apologize and you might walk out of this building on your own power."

"Miss Swan, I'm sorry," he gritted out.

"For what?" Jacob pushed, his hands on Gerandy's neck.

"For pushing you into the wall. I thought your accident was a ruse. Clearly, it's not," he said, his brows furrowing. "What happened?"

"Now you care?" I panted, glaring up at him. "Look, I know you don't like me and the feeling is quite mutual because when anyone asks for help, you roll your eyes and act like it's a huge hindrance for you reexplain the concepts. But, being a good person takes no effort at all." Jacob released him, taking my bag and offering me his arm. I took it and leaned heavily against him. "So, thanks for being a jerk and for thinking so little of me. Up until last week, have I ever missed classes?"

"Um …" he stammered.

"That would be no," I retorted. "Thank you, Jake, for your help. You're a better man than him." We walked past a frozen Dr. Gerandy and rode down to the first floor on the elevator. Before we went outside, Jake helped put on my jacket and I was in a great deal of pain. My ribs were aching and my head was throbbing.

"I'm taking you home, Bella," Jake said softly. "You look like you're about to cry."

"I am," I hissed. "But, I've missed too many days, Jake."

"Do you have any of your pain pills?" Jake asked. I nodded, pointing to my bag. He dug around and took out the prescription bottle. With a slug of water, I took two pills and we went to the car. I took out my phone and sent an email to my advisor about Gerandy's actions, leaning my head back against the leather seat. Jake drove away from the campus to a small Italian restaurant just outside of Evanston and inside the Chicago city limits. "Think about taking the afternoon, Bella."

"I'll let you know, Jake," I said, yawning and trying to get comfortable, but the dull ache in my chest made it difficult. Jake parked the car, helping me out and leading me back to a private dining room. Edward was already in there, tapping on his cell phone. He blinked up and the severe look on his face disappeared, replaced by a beautiful crooked smile. However, that smile dropped when he saw the pained look in my face.

"What happened?" Edward asked, glaring at Jake. He walked over to me, his hands gliding over my arms. I fell against his chest, inhaling his clean, masculine scent. "I've got you, _dolce_."

"Her professor was being a douche canoe," Jake replied. "He was giving her shit about missing class and bumped into her. She hit the wall hard."

"And did he apologize?" Edward muttered, his voice cold.

"He did and I gave him what for," I said, closing my eyes and sliding my arms around his waist. He held me to his chest and he swayed us gently. "I also sent my advisor an email about how much of an asshole he was."

"Good," Edward said, leaning his cheek against my hair.

"Boss, I think she should go home. She had to take some pain pills," Jake tattled.

"Shhhhh, you're not supposed to say anything," I said, shooting him a glower. Jake just arched a brow. "I'm feeling better."

"And your words are slurring," Edward chided. "Do you think you could get through your afternoon class?"

"Perhaps if I took a nap?" I said. My eyes were drooping and I felt Edward lift me. "Whoa …"

"I've got you, _dolce_ ," he whispered and carried me out of the restaurant. My brain was fuzzy and I couldn't find it in me to care that I was being cradled like a baby. Edward spoke swiftly and I drifted further, snuggling against his body. When I came to, it was dark out and I heard Edward on the phone. He was whispering, but his voice was tense. I was still tucked to his side. He was holding me protectively. When I moved, he looked down. "This is not the end of the conversation. I'll be in touch."

"Who were you talking to?" I asked, my throat dry and my mouth tasting like ass.

"No one," Edward answered.

"Liar. Tell me," I retorted, sitting up and whimpering from the pain radiating around my rib cage.

"Dr. Rivara," he sighed, tugging on his hair.

"Edward … what did you do?" I asked, trying to stay calm.

"Jacob told me what happened with your stats professor. He is a douchebag and the way he acted was rude, inappropriate and he should be punished," Edward said.

"By making him lose his job? He's tenured, Edward," I yelled. My head screamed.

"I know that. Rivara told me that, but she said that she was going to speak with him. Also, you've been removed from his class," Edward said.

"EDWARD!" I screamed. "I need that class!"

"Bella, stop. You're going to take the class, but as an independent study," Edward said calmly. I shot up, stumbling from dizziness and pain. Edward caught me.

"You can't just go and solve my problems for me, Edward," I muttered, pushing away from him. "I appreciate the protection and paying for my tuition, but I don't need a prince charming."

"Gerandy hurt you," Edward said, his eyes hardening. "You slept for almost six hours, clinging to me because of how you were feeling."

"My afternoon class …" I whimpered, sitting down heavily on the chair.

"I sent an email to the professor, under your name," Edward said, kneeling in front of me. "That you pushed it too far, too fast and that you needed some more time." I sniffled and cried. Edward cupped my face, lifting me easily and held me to his body. I whimpered, tugging on his tie. "Bella, I don't know what I'm doing here. I want to help you. I feel so out of control."

"That's because it is out of your control, Edward," I sighed, keeping my eyes closed. "This is my education …"

"I know, _dolce_ ," he murmured, kissing my forehead. "I am just trying to help."

"Thank you," I said. "I know I sound ungrateful."

"No, you don't," Edward chuckled. "Look, this is your education and you have every right to have a say … I'll step back. But, when Jake said that you were hurt. I was livid."

"So was I," I grumbled. "Gerandy is a douchebag, but he's not the guy who hurt me on campus."

"Are you sure?" Edward asked, arching a brow.

"Yeah. Gerandy is frail and just plain rude," I snorted. "He couldn't toss me against a wall. Push me? Yes." Edward frowned. "What else did Rivara say?"

"You have an appointment with her tomorrow at ten," he said. "To discuss your independent study in stats and what Gerandy said to you." I nodded, not wanting to keep fighting about the same thing. "You need to eat."

"I'm not really hungry," I mumbled. "My stomach is unsettled …"

"You need to eat," Edward repeated. "Nothing too heavy, but _something_. I can feel your ribs as I hold you."

"Okay," I sighed. I felt him smile against my forehead. He got up and walked me with me to his kitchen. He opened the oven, taking out the plates that were inside. "It smells good, but I don't know how much I'll be able to eat."

"Eat what you can, _dolce,_ " Edward smiled, putting a plate in front of me. On it, there was some chicken, pasta and roasted veggies. It did smell delicious and my stomach snarled. "I think your belly has other things in mind, gorgeous."

"I think so," I said, tucking into the meal. Edward poured us some water and sat down next to me, eating his own meal. "Did your cook make this?"

"My mom did," he said. "She wanted to meet you, but you were sleeping."

"She must think I'm a slacker," I groaned.

"No, she knows that you were injured. Besides, she saw you. She wouldn't take no for an answer that I didn't want to be disturbed," he snorted. "But, my mom is like me. She's tenacious, barging into your bedroom and saw you drooling on my chest."

"I did not drool," I scoffed.

"I beg to differ," he chuckled. "Anyhow, my mom thought you were absolutely gorgeous and couldn't wait to meet you. When you are conscious, of course."

"Of course," I deadpanned.

"And you do drool," he said, giving me a shitty grin. I tossed a piece of broccoli at him.

"You always have to get the last word in, don't you?" I asked.

"Yeah," he smirked, popping the broccoli into his mouth. "Get used to it, _dolce_. I always win."

"I'm beginning to see that," I said, smiling wryly. "But, I'm just as stubborn as you, Edward. I can out-stubborn you any day. Need I remind you about my psycho mother?"

"True," he shrugged. "Bella, I was wondering if you'd accompany me to the Black and White Ball? It's while you're on winter break and it benefits the police retirement fund."

"Isn't that a contradiction? You're attending a police function?" I asked.

"On paper, I'm as clean as they come," he answered. "But, a lot of it has to do with some fairly hefty pay outs and contributions to some high-level politicians." He chuckled, looking at me. "I'd like you to go with me as my date. I want you to meet my family before I share with them that we're engaged."

"You want your family's approval?" I asked, leaning forward and trying to get into his head.

"In some ways, yes," he nodded. "However, my mom already approves since she found us sleeping together."

"Oh, God," I wailed, covering my face, which was blushing furiously.

"Bella, she found us _sleeping_ , not fucking. If we were doing that, she wouldn't have approved," he said, tugging my hands away from my face.

"I don't even want to know," I grumbled, blowing out a breath. "Okay, maybe I do. Is this fake marriage going to include fucking?"

"I'd like it to," he said. "And don't refer to our engagement and subsequent marriage as fake. It will be real. We'll be married in the church and will have a huge ceremony. Nothing will be fake. And that includes my feelings toward you."

"You love me?" I pressed.

"I could see it happening," he answered. "I know that I like you a lot and I wouldn't have proposed marriage if there wasn't any sort of attraction. I am attracted to you, physically, mentally and emotionally. I don't want to see you hurt and it's not because of some weird sense of guilt about what happened to you. Yes, I feel responsible and I'm doing all that I can to rectify that." He stared at me, his green eyes boring into my mind. "And don't think I know what you're doing. Don't try to shrink me." He sipped his water, before continuing his meal.

I felt guilty about trying to analyze him. "I'm sorry. I'm just trying to understand …"

"So am I," he answered, cutting his chicken. "I'm trying to understand what I'm feeling for you, Bella. Never, _never_ in my thirty-five years have felt this way about a woman." He put down his utensils and he narrowed his eyes at me. "Never, Bella. You make think that this is _fake_ , but it's very, very real to me." He shot up, stomping away. I heard his keys being picked up and the door slammed shut.

Yeah, I sucked as a human being.

 **EPOV**

I got into my car and pealed out of the garage. Jasper started calling me and I ignored his calls. I tore through the city until I pulled over, tearing at my hair. _You love me?_ Bella's voice was on repeat. I didn't love her, but I wasn't lying when I said that I could see it happen. There was a knock on my window and I looked outside. Jasper's scowling face was peering into my car. I unlocked my door and he got inside. "What the fuck, dude?" he snapped. "As soon as you left, without protection, my phone started going bat shit crazy!"

"Sorry, I had to get out of there," I muttered. "Bella was …"

"Pressing your buttons?" Jasper offered. "Boss, Bella is exactly what you need. She's smart and snarky, keeping you on your toes."

"And giving me gray hair," I deadpanned. "I never felt this way about a woman, Jas." I pressed my hand to my chest. "I feel empty when I'm away from her and when I'm around her, I want to hold her. Always."

"That's love, Boss," Jasper chuckled. "Are you in love?"

"I don't know, Jasper. I care for her. More than I probably should," I murmured. "I just don't want her to get hurt."

"Is that out of obligation because of what happened to her?" Jasper asked, his lips pursed. "Or because you truly care for her."

"I truly care about her," I whispered. "Do you know how hard it is to be around her and not kiss her?"

"Not Bella, in particular," Jasper chuckled. "But, I do understand that. When Ali's working and she's being all in control, it's all I want to do is kiss her stupid. When I do get her alone, I show her how much I want to be with her and let's just say that … your desk has been defiled."

"Ugh, gross," I hissed. "Your naked ass was on my desk?"

"And Ali's," he grinned, waggling his brows. "We cleaned up after ourselves."

I took out my cell phone, sending a text to Angela. _I need a new desk, Ang. ASAP ~ E.C._

"You just texted Angela for a new desk, didn't you?" Jasper laughed. I shot him a look. "I'll take that as a yes. Look, I get why you are freaking out. Look at it through Bella's eyes. Her life has been completely upended. She was attacked because of her association with you. Her apartment was trashed and she had her brain scrambled. On top of that, she agreed to marry your sorry ass and you tell her that you have feelings for her. _Real_ feelings. She's probably freaking out. Hell, I'm separated from the situation and I'm freaking out."

I opened my mouth and slammed it shut. "You're right."

"Holy hell! Boss man admitted that I was right," Jasper crowed. "It must be a cold day in hell."

"The Cubs did win the World Series," I deadpanned.

"This is true and it was a long time coming," he chuckled. He started singing the Cubs Song, badly and bopping in the leather seats. "Come on, Boss! Sing with me! You love the Cubs as much as I do!"

"You're an idiot," I chuckled, shaking my head. "Look, I know it must be overwhelming for all of us. I can't lose her, Jas. I may not love her. Not yet, but I want to."

"You want this marriage to work?" Jasper asked, his brow arched. "Longer than a year."

I nodded, my jaw clenched and muscle twitching in my cheek. "I get why my father wants me to be married. Yes, I've been distracted a bit, but when it comes to work, I'm more _focused_. Speaking of work, have you found Embry?"

"Nope. Still in the wind," Jasper answered. "We thought we found someone who did know him, but it was a dead end. It was some small-time hustler talking a big game. We let him go, but a tracer on him in case he runs into Embry. We need to send our _condolences_ to him for the loss of his brother." I nodded, looking out the window and sighing. "Look, Boss, go back home. Talk to your girl."

"She's not mine," I muttered.

"Not yet, but she will be. I saw how she clung to you as you carried her out of the restaurant," Jasper whispered. "She cares about you, too." He smiled at me. "You okay?"

"No," I shrugged, "but, I will be."

He nodded, getting out of my car. He leaned against the open door. "Go home, Boss. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Thanks, Jas," I said, waving at him. He closed the door and I pulled away from the curb, performing a U-turn and driving back to my condo. Once back, I let myself inside and found Bella in the kitchen. She was scrubbing the already gleaming quartz countertops. The condo smelled like freshly-baked cookies. Sure enough, there was huge plate of chocolate chip cookies on the counters. "Bella?"

She dropped the sponge she was using and jumped. "You're back," she said, looking at me. Her expression was contrite, a touch sad. "I didn't know if you were coming back … I made cookies … I found a recipe in one of the binders next to the oven. Nonni's Chocolate Chip …? You had all of the ingredients." I walked over to her, taking her face in my hands. She kept her eyes on my shirt and I could see evidence that she had cried. "I'm sorry, Edward. I didn't mean to be a jerk and by insinuating that our relationship …"

I stopped her babbling by kissing her sweet, soft lips. She gasped and was clearly surprised. She didn't move her mouth at first, but melted against me. Her fingers twined in my hair and moved her lips with mine, tasting, relishing and nibbling. I picked her up easily, standing between her legs and holding her to me. Our kiss was passionate, reverent and touch naughty. I wanted to touch her, really touch her, but that would take time and a great deal more trust. The damned need to breathe broke us apart and I kept my forehead pressed to hers. "Don't apologize, _dolce_ ," I whispered, breathless and so very needy. "If someone should apologize, it's me."

"But, I was the bitch," she said, as breathless as me.

"And I'm an asshole," I quipped. "Bella, your life has been turned upside down and that's my fault. I should apologize because I'm trying to take control over things that I shouldn't, like your education. But, I don't want you hurt again. That professor, he hurt you …"

"Thank you for protecting me," she whispered, looking at me and her fingers scratching my scalp. "For wanting to protect me. I'm truly appreciative for that. And … I want this to be real, too. I care for you and …" She blinked up at me, staring into my eyes. Her fingers traced a scar in my eyebrow. "What happened here?"

"Fight with my little brother," I snickered. "I fell into the cocktail table, resulting in about fifteen stitches when I was six or seven."

"I didn't know you had a brother," she said, her fingers gliding down my face. "How much younger?"

"Three years," I answered. "His name is Emmett."

She nodded, looking back at me. "I'd love to attend the Black and White Ball with you, Edward. As your date and as your fiancée."

"I'm not backing out of that proposal, but I do want to make it special for you, _dolce_ ," I murmured. She bit her lip and nodded again. "Don't bite your lip, baby. I want to do that."

"I liked when you did it before," she said, her eyes darkening and a sultry glint sparking within her eyes. I kissed her again, tasting her soft lips and moaning when her tongue slid between my lips. I teased her, biting her lip as we broke apart. "Hmmm, I do like it more when you do it." She kept her fingers in my hair, gently tugging on the strands. She reached over the counter and grabbing a cookie. "Do I hold up to Nonni's standards?"

I bit down on the cookie and whimpered. "Fuck me."

"Not tonight, Mr. Cullen," she giggled. "And not until I see proof that you're clean."

"Understandable," I said, kissing her nose. "And Nonni would be incredibly proud that someone could recreate and improve her famous chocolate chip cookies. These are even better than I remember." I looked at her, breaking off a piece of the cookie. I fed it to her and she smiled. "Do they meet your standards?"

"Best fucking things I've ever tasted," she answered. "Your Nonni had some major baking chops. I think next, I'll tackle her lemon knots. It was marked as 'Eddie's favorite.' She called you Eddie?"

"She was the only one," I blushed.

"Is your Nonni still alive?"

"No. She passed away when I was in college," I frowned. "She had dementia and couldn't even recognize us at the end. She would randomly hum, singing nonsense songs. When she heard a song, she recognized in the nursing facility, she'd sing it, word for word and then fade back into her own world. I loved her very much, but she wasn't herself at the end. Only a shell of her former self."

"I would have liked to meet her," Bella said softly. "I want to know more about you, Edward. For this to truly to work, we need to get to know each other."

"I agree," I said. "I think that's the great first step, _dolce_. For now, it's been a long day for both of us and I want to hold you. Can … Will you let me do that?"

"Even though I drool?" she quipped.

"So, you admit it?" I laughed.

"Yeah, yeah," she smirked, hopping down off the counter. "Besides, you're quite comfortable, Edward and I feel _safe_ in your arms." She gave me a smile, that betrayed her fear and she went out of the kitchen. However, I'd gladly protect her as we slept, if it meant that I got to hold her in my arms.

And a little drool was not that big of a deal …

 **A/N: So, they both admitted that they were attracted to each other and their faults. Bella tried to shrink Edward and he tried to control her. Now, the plan that I had for the shopping trip for Bella, Esme, Alice and Rose, that obviously didn't happen. Up next will be the conversation with Dr. Rivara, Bella's advisor, along with the shopping trip and preparations for the Black and White Ball. Not to mention, we'll hear from Edward as he tries to understand his feelings. Plus, he's going to do some shopping on his own.**

 **Thank you for reading! I appreciate it! Much love to all of you! ;-)**


	4. Chapter 4

**So, none of this is mine. I wrote the first chapter for a contest and now, I'm expanding it. What I own … a condo and too many books. What I don't … _Twilight_ and all its characters. **

**Up next will be the conversation with Dr. Rivara, Bella's advisor, along with the shopping trip and preparations for the Black and White Ball. Not to mention, we'll hear from Edward as he tries to understand his feelings. Plus, he's going to do some shopping on his own.**

 **Chapter Four**

 **EPOV**

I was sitting in my office, looking over a business plan for a new club. It seemed promising, opening in a nearby warehouse. It was playing off the recent popularity of mainstreaming BDSM lifestyle. "Bound and Gagged" had themed rooms, a dance floor and a private, VIP lounge with sultry performers giving demonstrations about the life. It was so outside the norm, but cutting edge in the same respect. The business plan was primarily for the club, which would be open to the public. The private lounge would be for members only and would not be open to just anyone. Members would have to be vetted before even considered entry into the lounge.

I liked it. I liked it a lot. This idea had my approval. I was in the process of making the funds available for the investment so they could break ground on construction.

"Edward, your father is on line one," Angela chirped over the intercom.

"Oh, goodie," I deadpanned, picking up the phone. "Hello, Dad."

"Son," Dad replied. "Your mother said you _found_ someone. A date? Or _the_ one?"

"Right now, she's attending the benefit as my date. Mom 'met' her," I chuckled, running my hand through my hair.

"Met her?" Dad chuckled. "She said that this girl was snoring in your arms."

"Bella was in an accident and she had to take a pain pill," I explained. "And she wasn't snoring. Drooling? Maybe, but not snoring."

Dad's chuckles turned into a full-blown laugh. "So, when are we going to meet her? Surely before the benefit? That's in a few weeks!"

"I know Mom said she wanted to take Bella out shopping for a dress for the benefit. I think that would be awesome since Bella probably doesn't know what to expect for this benefit," I said. "Maybe, after the shopping excursion, we could go out to eat."

"Or you could come over for dinner at the house," Dad suggested.

"Or that," I snorted. "Let me talk to Bella. She's at a meeting with her advisor right now and she's got classes this afternoon. She's a graduate student at Northwestern."

"Beautiful and smart," Dad mused. "Already a step above the Denali sisters. They're pretty, but in a whorish-way. And I think between all of them combined, they have two functioning brain cells."

"Kate's pretty smart," I said.

"Edward, she thought that the Battle of Yorktown happened in Lombard at the Yorktown Mall," Dad retorted.

"Never mind," I snickered. "I take that back and I think I lost a few brain cells admitting that I thought Kate was pretty smart."

"Well, sooner the better when it comes to dinner, Edward. Your mother misses you," Dad said.

"What about you, old man?" I quipped.

"Meh," Dad said airily.

"Asshole," I snorted.

"I know," he replied. "I'll talk to you later." I hung up the phone, turning back to the business plan and making a few suggestions. When I was done, I asked Angela to schedule an appointment with the owners to discuss my changes before they begin construction for their club. When I was done with that, I went to the private dining room and saw my brother. He was talking to his assistant, a recent college grad, Jessica Stanley. He was laughing and picking up his plate, going to sit down. However, when my brother looked up at me, his eyes grew cold and he turned to leave, tossing his plate on a table.

 _Oh, hell no._

He'd been avoiding me since that incident with Quil. This shit ends now. I blocked my brother's exit. He was bigger than me, stronger than me, physically, but I was the older brother and I was not going to be ignored. "Emmett," I said. "A word?"

"Nope," he said curtly. "I've got an appointment."

"Yeah, with me," I said, grasping his bicep. I glared at him. "Don't trifle me, Emmett. We need to put this behind us. We can do it in the privacy of my office or here in the dining room."

"You're an asshole, Edward," Emmett sneered.

"And I know that. I don't want to make you look like a chump in front of our employees. I will, though," I hissed. Emmett gave a tight smile to the crowd in the dining room. I slung my arm around his shoulders and guided him to my office. I closed the door, watching as Emmett fell down on to the leather sofa inside. "You know that I'm still your boss, right?"

"Something that you remind me of daily," Emmett said. "You can be my boss, but we don't have to interact."

"What the fuck?" I snarled. "We're brothers, Emmett."

"I don't know, Edward. You think I'm a pussy," he yelled. "Just because I don't resort to violence when it comes to our other line of work. Ever hear of the adage … you can catch more flies with honey then with vinegar?"

"I have, but in our line of work, you can't molly coddle our enemies. Are you pissed because I killed that punk? If I had let him go, he would have been … it would have been catastrophic. He would have told his brother, his crew, _our enemies,_ who we were, where the warehouse was and whole other slew of bullshit. I hate having to resort to violence, but it's reality of our lives."

"It doesn't faze you, Edward," he muttered, leaning forward and glaring at the throw rug. "Did you get sick about killing that kid? Or any of the other guys?"

"The first time I killed someone, I was violently ill, Emmett," I said, leaning against my desk. "Dad was with me and he was adamant on teaching me a lesson. It was a mistake that I'd made and that mistake resulted in me killing a boy, just a few months older than me. I thought I was going to die. That my heart was going to fall out of my chest because of what I'd done. I was crying like a baby as I pulled the trigger. When Dad forced me to check for a pulse, I threw up all over the kid and I ran from that room, wanting nothing more than to pull the trigger on myself. Dad kept me calm and he talked me down. His team cleaned the mess and I was a murderer. Was this something that I wanted? Fuck, no. But, it's our lives, Emmett. You've killed."

"I have and I'm surprised that I haven't shriveled up," he said. "I'm not like you or Dad, Ed. You guys can turn on and off your killer instinct. One second, you're charming and endearing. In the next breath, you could blow a hole into some guy's knees. I can't … that's not me! I can't even fathom going near Rose, or Mom, after I've done _that_." He ran his hands through his cropped, curly hair. "No wonder Dad wants you to lead the family. You're as cold as ice."

"Only when I have to be," I shrugged. "I don't like any more than you do, but I've learned to deal with it. I only do it when it's absolutely necessary."

"Which seems like all the time with you," Emmett spat. I arched a brow. "Sorry."

"Imagine something happening to Rose. If someone attacked her, hurt her, threatened her or your family? You have the means, the power and the drive to vindicate her. What would you do? Leave it in the hands of twelve jurors or put that animal down?" I asked simply.

"I'd rip out their throats. No one touches my Rosie," he hissed.

"You have that killer instinct, too, Emmett. But, yours is attached to your need to protect your family," I offered. "Rose, Mom, Dad, or me, if something happened to one of us, you'd kill. Right?" He nodded. "I'm doing the exact same thing, but in a different context." I sighed. "Emmett, we're family, brothers. We're supposed to be close. I've extended olive branches, but you keep me at arm's length."

"I know," he muttered.

"Why?"

"Because I know I'm not good enough," Emmett said, looking up at me. "Dad thinks I'm soft. Fuck, so do you. Rose wears the pants in our relationship and I'm a joke."

"Emmett, you're good enough. Your strengths are in this realm, our legitimate business," I said, gesturing to our office. "It was your idea to include the real estate aspect to the company. Look how much business has boomed! Emmett, I love you. You're my brother. The only one I've got. I'd kill for you, anything to keep you safe."

"That's true brotherhood," Emmett snorted, looking up at me and smirking. "I feel the love, brother."

"Eh, well, I'm working on the mushy stuff," I shrugged.

"Mom said you met someone and that you're _protective_ of her," Emmett said. "Does she have a name?"

"Bella," I said, grinning crookedly.

"Damn. My big bro is grinning like a teenager in love. Where did you meet her?"

"At The Swan Dive. She was a server there. We went out a date and things are progressing from there," I said, my grin widening. "Anyway, she was in an accident and her apartment was broken into. She's staying with me for the time being."

"Sweet," Emmett chuckled. He groaned and he reached into his pocket, pulling out his cell phone. "Cullen." I listened to him as he spoke with Jessica. "I'm on my way. And order me a cheese burger from that greasy spoon on Wabash … The Swan Dive. I want to check out how good their food is. Thanks, Jess." He ended the call. "Duty calls. I'm sorry about being a douchetard, Edward."

"I'm sorry about pushing you too hard," I shrugged. "Things have been quiet and will probably stay that way until we get the new shipment from Russia after the first of the year."

"We also need to interrogate Quil's brother. If he's ever found," Emmett grumbled. His phone vibrated again. "Later, Ed." He opened the door, barking into his phone. "WHAT?!"

I snickered, walking back to the dining room and getting myself some lunch. Unlike my brother, who could eat cheeseburgers and fries all the time, I had to watch what I ate. Yes, I liked to indulge, but I had to be careful. I inherited my grandmother's bad cholesterol problems. Working out, eating right and maintaining a healthy lifestyle helped, but it would always be something I'd have to watch. Besides, eating five of Bella's interpretation of Nonni's cookies for breakfast was not a smart decision.

I'll be adding an extra mile, or two, in my evening workout.

 **BPOV**

Sitting outside of my advisor's office, I was idly playing with my new phone and bouncing my legs anxiously. Dr. Rivara's door opened and she smiled at me. "Isabella, please! Come inside," she said, guiding me into her office. "Would you like something to drink?"

"No, thank you," I said, taking a seat at her desk. "Thank you for meeting with me."

"How are you feeling?" Dr. Rivara asked. "I can see you're still pretty bruised. Any dizziness? Headaches? Fatigue?" Dr. Rivara was a practicing psychiatrist, as well as one of the head of psych department at Northwestern.

"I'm okay. I get tired quickly and my head hurts if I look at computer screens too long, but I'll survive," I shrugged. "I'm sorry about missing most of last week and for the drama with Dr. Gerandy."

"Oh, please, Gerandy is an asshole," Dr. Rivara snorted. "He thinks that all students are entitled little shits, especially if anyone receives special treatment. With your concussion, he believed you received special treatment and he wanted to stick it to you. He's been dealt with. Another professor, Dr. Banner, will be leading your independent study in stats. Also, I wanted to talk to you about continuing your studies. You are one of the best and brightest in the program. I know that you're planning on getting your masters, but would you consider continuing and getting a doctorate? We'd help."

"Wow," I breathed. "I can't even … Can I think about it? I hadn't considered the possibility. I know I'm only halfway through my program."

"Of course," Dr. Rivara smiled. "Now, I want to talk about some internship possibilities. I know you're working with that shelter, but I think you need some more _clinical_ hours. I have a partner, a colleague who is a therapist, not a psychiatrist like me. She's looking for an intern. Paula is willing to work with you and your constraints of being a student. I took the liberty of looking at your schedule and she came up with some options."

Dr. Rivara slid a piece paper across the desk. It was significantly less than my time at the shelter and it would be more time with emergency cases, which was what I wanted to focus on. "And this is an unpaid internship?"

"You'd be paid like a teacher's assistant," Dr. Rivara said. "Essentially, it'll pay for books, perhaps parking on campus. But, it's something. You'd also have more than enough time to get your work done for your classes."

"I'll take it," I beamed.

"Excellent! Here's Paula's contact information. You won't start until the winter quarter begins, in the second week in January. With everything you've had to deal with, it might be best," she smirked. "We've got two weeks left in the quarter. Will you be okay with completing your assignments by then?"

"Since I've quit my job and stopped going to the shelter, that will work," I said, slipping Paula's card into my bag. "Anyhow, I have a class in a half hour. I have to print out a paper … crap!"

"What?" Dr. Rivara asked.

"I can't go back to the library," I whispered. "I … I was …" _Shit, I can't say anything._

"Were you attacked, in your accident, by the library?" Dr. Rivara pressed. I nodded. "Do you have a flash drive?" Again, I nodded. I took it out and handed it to her. She plugged it into her computer and with a flourish, printed it out for me. "Have you talked to someone about your fears? PTSD? You were as white as a sheet, Bella."

"I'll be fine," I said, trying to keep my voice even. Dr. Rivara arched a brow. "I swear!" She shook her head, handing me my paper. "Thank you for printing this." I slipped it into my bag and got up. We shook hands and I went outside. Jake was waiting for me. I sighed, following him out of the office and walking to my class. It dragged, as did my other class after lunch. As I was walking back to the car with Jake, my phone rang and I didn't recognize the number, but it was local. "Do you know who this is, Jake?" I asked, holding up my phone.

"Oh, Mrs. Cullen," Jake nodded. "The Boss's mother."

"Shit," I squeaked.

"You might want to pick that up. She'll keep calling until you answer," Jake snickered. I wrinkled my nose, afraid that she'd be upset that I was with her son. I knew so little about him and his family.

"What do I say?" I hissed.

He laughed, swiping his thumb across the screen. "I'd start with hello, Bella."

"Hello?" I parroted.

"I was just going to leave a message. I wasn't sure if you were in class," came the sweet, tender voice of Mrs. Cullen, the Boss's mother. "I'm Esme Cullen and my son, Edward, gave me your number. I was wondering if you'd like to join me, Alice and my daughter-in-law, Rosalie, to go shopping for our dresses for the benefit. Edward said you'd be attending."

"Now?" I asked.

"No, sweetheart. This weekend. I've made arrangements for a private shopping session at Nordstrom's. Zafrina, our personal shopper, has pulled dresses and we need to go and decide which ones will work the best," Mrs. Cullen explained.

"Oh, okay," I murmured. "Um, when?"

"I'll be by to collect you around noon and then after, we'll be coming to my home for dinner," Mrs. Cullen sang. "I can't wait to meet you in person, Bella. Edward has been singing your praises and he's over the moon for you, sweetheart. I've never seen my son act like this."

"Really?" I asked. "I mean, he seems … really?"

"He's totally smitten, Bella," Mrs. Cullen chuckled. "Noon and wear heels!" She hung up before I could respond.

"I don't have any heels," I whimpered into the silent phone. "I'll break my neck." I blinked over to Jake, pulling the phone away from my ear. "What have I gotten myself into? This is _waaaay_ over my head. I'm meeting my boyfriend/fiancé's family and …" I pinched my nose and sat down on a nearby bench. I opened my mouth and then closed it.

"Do you have someone you can talk to?" Jake asked. "Like a girlfriend or something?"

"Not really," I shrugged. "I've been focused on my schooling and I've had blinders on. There are a few girls in my classes, but no one I'm really close to. Besides, what would I say? I'm kind of engaged to some big-time mobster and I'm being thrown into the lion's den?"

"Esme is not a lion," Jake snorted. "She's a sweet as can be. She stepped up when my mom died and she helped my dad learn to cope with her loss, along with his own injuries."

"Oh, I'm so sorry," I frowned. "When did she pass?"

"About five years ago. It was a car accident," Jake replied, sitting down. "I was driving them home and some drunk driver crossed over the median. I was thrown from the car, only getting these scars. My mom was pinned and had internal injuries. She died in surgery. My dad, he had some rebar impale him and it severed his spinal cord. He's paralyzed from the waist down. So, his wife died because some idiot couldn't call a cab and he lost the use of his legs. Esme … she did _everything_ to make things easier for my dad."

"She seems amazing," I whispered. "Like what a real mom should be." I bit my lip. "Look, I need to get some books, but I refuse to go to the library. I can't … I was …"

"Can I get them for you?" Jake asked.

"I'm certain that Edward would shit a brick if I was left alone," I snorted.

"Wouldn't that hurt?" Jake questioned, his brows furrowed. Maybe, he had some brain damage from that car accident.

"It's a metaphor, Jake," I said, arching a brow. He still looked confused. "Never mind." I looked at my phone. "Perhaps I can do some research using sources online. If not, I'll have to deal with going to the library." We got up and continued our walk to the car. Jake put my belongings into the backseat, helping me into the passenger side. When we got back to Edward's condo, I pulled out my computer and worked on my assignments. I was able to get the answers I needed from online resources, as well as my text books. As I was working, Edward's cook, an older woman named Mrs. Cope, made a snack for me and told me what she was preparing for dinner. I asked if she needed help and she smiled warmly, shaking her head no.

Edward came home and we ate dinner. As we ate, we got to know each other. Edward was determined to know everything about me – my likes, my dislikes, allergies, bad high school memories and clumsy childhood debacles. I shared everything I could remember and he was entranced with my history. When I asked the same of him, he mainly focused on his childhood, a bit on his time in college. I was shocked that he had an Ivy League degree. He majored in finance and business at Dartmouth, completing his MBA at University of Chicago.

Edward was fucking smart.

He even taught a class as an adjunct professor in venture capitalism for the University of Chicago.

 _Holy shit … brains and brawn? Intelligence under that shock of bronze hair and jaw that could cut glass? Damn!_

However, when I asked him about the other part of his life, he picked up the dishes and started washing them, effectively ignoring my questions. I got pissed, leaving him in the kitchen and continuing my homework in my bedroom. If he wanted to be a bag of douche, fine.

"Bella," Edward said, an hour later. "I'm sorry about shutting you down."

"You want to know _everything_ about me, but you only share tidbits about you. How am I supposed to know about you? We're supposed to be a couple, Edward," I snapped, closing my laptop.

He huffed out a breath and sat down on the edge of the bed. "Bella, _dolce_ , my world is dark and ugly. You are too good to know about that awful part of me," he said, frowning. He looked at me and I could see the regret in his eyes. "If I had a choice, I'd not be involved in that part of my family, but it's a massive part of who I am. The fact that you were hurt because of your association with me, tells me that you were touched by that darkness. You are beautiful, light, funny and so fucking smart." He moved and took my hands, staring into my eyes. "Please, let me keep the ugliness away from you. As much as I can, _dolce_."

"There's going to be a time where that ugliness is going to spill over into our lives," I said, making a harsh face. "It did … _bringing_ us to this current situation. And if I want to understand your life, _our_ lives, I need to be informed. Who do I trust? Who do I avoid?"

"You're right," he conceded. "But, for now, I want to ease you into my life. Do you trust me?"

"Not really," I answered honestly.

"Okay, okay," he snorted. "I will earn your trust, _dolce_." He cupped my cheek. "Can I kiss you?"

"Tell me one thing about your other life," I whispered. "What is it that you deal in?"

"Weapons," he answered, sighing deeply. "My grandfather also dabbled in drugs, but my father didn't want to deal with that. We got out of that business and we deal with weaponry. However, we sell to other families and mercenary groups. We try avoid selling guns to gangs, to kids." He looked up at me, his green eyes contrite. "These weapons provide protection for the family's turf. It's classified as protection racketeering. We use our legitimate business as a cover up for our illegal dealings. Laundering money through those transactions and providing locations for the illegal sales."

"Anything else?" I asked.

"Illegal gambling, too," he grimaced. "But, that's under my Uncle Stephen's jurisdiction. He wanted a slice of the pie and that's what my father was willing to give him. He's not very good at what he does and the FBI is watching him. We're warning him to be careful, but he doesn't want to listen." He blinked and sighed. "I don't want to tell you anymore. Ever heard of plausible deniability?"

"Kind of," I shrugged.

"We're good at hiding our tracks, but the least amount of information you know, the better," Edward said. "Just know that I'm trying to keep you safe, _dolce_." His large hand caressed my cheek. I leaned forward, allowing him to brush his lips with mine. His movements were tender, gentle and so very sweet. Edward Cullen was a huge dichotomy. He was a mobster, able to kill people and have people killed at his whim, but the fact that he was so reverent with me, shocked me. Pulling back, his fingers traced my cheek and he smiled crookedly. "Thank you, Bella."

"Why are you thanking me?" I asked, arching a brow.

"I'm thanking you for just being you," he said. "And for understanding my reasoning for why I can't tell you everything."

"I don't understand, but I know you have your reasons," I shrugged. "For now, tell me about your family. I'm going shopping with your mom, Alice and Rosalie on Saturday for the Black and White Ball. I would like to know what I'm walking into, if you know what I mean."

 **EPOV**

Bella was ravishing, amazing and everything I wanted in a woman. I could feel myself fall deeper and deeper for her. Was it love? Not yet, but it fucking could be.

"My family," I chuckled, looking at her. We had left the bedroom and were in the family room. Some music was playing, a fire was lit and we were both drinking some wine. "We're close. Very close, but a lot of that has to do with our way of living."

"And isn't Alice my doctor?" Bella asked, sipping her merlot.

"Yeah. Her husband is my bodyguard, and occasionally, yours," I replied. "But, he's also my first cousin. His parents, Peter and Charlotte, are related to my mom. Charlotte is my mom's sister."

"Oh, wow," Bella murmured. "Is Jacob related to you?"

"Not by blood," I answered. "Jacob's grandfather, Ephraim, was my grandfather's bodyguard. Billy, Jacob's father, worked for the family until his accident and Jacob became involved as an enforcer once he graduated high school." Bella nodded. "But, my immediate _blood_ family is my mother, Esme, my father, Carlisle and my brother, Emmett. Jasper is also close with our family, bringing Alice along with him. And Emmett is married to Rosalie."

"Should I be worried?" Bella giggled. "I met Alice and she's pretty cool, for a doctor."

"She's a force to be reckoned with. She can command a room," I snorted. I remembered when we had a huge blow-out and we had several injuries, some requiring surgery. Alice, despite her short stature, put all of us to work and we didn't lose anyone, though we were afraid of losing Jacob and Emmett's body guard, Seth. But, Alice managed to stabilize them in the secret clinic we had and performed surgery on Jacob's leg, removing a bullet and stitching it closed. "Alice is probably the most easygoing person you'll meet. She's fucking brilliant. She graduated high school at fourteen and went to medical school at eighteen."

"Damn," Bella sang.

"Yeah," I said. "She and Jasper married relatively quickly after she finished college. I think they've been together almost twelve years now? I can't believe it's been that long." I shook my head. "Now, my mom will love you. I think she already does."

"She's only spoken to me once and saw me while I was using you as a pillow," she deadpanned.

I barked out a laugh and gave her a wry little grin. She shrugged, curling up on the couch and idly playing with the hair at the nape of my neck. "Well, you can use me as a pillow any time, _dolce."_

"Good to know," she smirked. "What about Rosalie?"

"Ugh, I'm not going to lie and say she's great. She's self-centered and very protective of the family," I grumbled. "She's going to give you a hard time."

"Fabulous," Bella said sarcastically. "Should I bring Jacob with me?"

"Probably. She hates him and thinks he's …" I trailed off, not wanting to finish my though. Rosalie thought Jacob was really dumb, using the 'r-word' to describe him numerous time. Jacob may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but he was loyal and willing to do anything for our family.

"I can imagine what she described him as," Bella growled. "He's not. He said that he has a learning disability and dyslexia. That does not make him stupid. He just needs extra help when it comes to academic endeavors. I was too quick to judge him and I see that now."

I nodded, agreeing with her. "Well, I'm warning you that Rose will not be very easy to get along with. The only person she can stand is my brother. She barely tolerates me and she's sweet to my mother, but when her back is turned, the talons come out."

"She sounds like a total bitch. Reminds me of Victoria," Bella said, finishing her wine. "Uncle Jimmy is totally snowed by her. He loves her and doesn't see how she treats me. However, he would always choose me over her. I think he's with her because she puts out." She got up and sighed. "I probably should get some sleep. The wine is hitting me harder than I thought."

I stood up, helping her to her room. She smiled, kissing me sweetly before ducking inside. I leaned against her closed door, wishing I was in there with her. I wanted to hold her, but that would take time. However, talking with her made me realize that I needed to take steps to find an engagement ring for her and Nonni's ring was not the right fit. Bella deserved something special and exquisite, just like her. Only _for_ her.

Tomorrow, I was going shopping. I had an engagement ring to purchase for the woman who would bear my name and it was going to be longer than a damned year.

 **BPOV**

The rest of the week flew by and before I knew it, the weekend had arrived. Edward and I continued to get to know each other over dinner and he was excited to have me spend time with his family after I went shopping with his mom, sister-in-law and cousin-in-law/doctor.

On the other hand, I was nervous as fuck.

 _What the hell am I walking into?_

"Bella, you need to eat something," Edward said. He was sitting in the kitchen. He was wearing a pair of black jeans and a white button-down. On his face were a pair of chic black glasses, accentuating his jawline and unruly bronze hair. "Don't overthink this trip."

"I'm trying not to," I said, poking at my breakfast. "And how am I going to afford this dress?"

"It's already paid for, _dolce_ ," Edward smirked. I gaped at him. "Bella, my mother is paying for all of the dresses. Even if she didn't, you have a shiny black credit card in your name in your purse. Use that …" He arched a brow over his frames. "Now, I'm going shopping as well. I have to get a new tuxedo for this shindig. I'll have my phone on me. Jake will be with you."

"In the store?" I snickered.

"He'll be on patrol outside with Rose and Mom's bodyguards, Felix and Demetri. They'd rather gouge out their eyeballs than go into some high-end boutique in an expensive department store," Edward laughed. "If I didn't have to get a new tux, I'd be with them, probably polishing my gun or something."

"Is that some euphemism for masturbation?" I quipped.

He rolled his eyes. "No, Bella. I'd really be polishing my guns. And I don't want to masturbate. I want to make love to you," he said, getting up and kissing my temple. My cheeks warmed. "Why would I have a date with Rosie Palmer and her four sisters when I could make love to the woman in my life?" He kissed me again and before I could comprehend what he had said, he was gone.

I sat and stared at my breakfast until Jake came upstairs. I heard the distinct sound of heels behind him. I turned around seeing a gorgeous older woman with caramel colored hair, warm, hazel eyes and smooth porcelain skin. She was dressed exquisitely in a pair of black dress slacks and a long red winter coat. "Bella?" she smiled, walking toward me. I slid off the stool and she hugged me, kissing both of my cheeks. "You are so gorgeous, sweetheart."

"Thank you, Mrs. Cullen," I blushed.

"Esme," she chided gently. "Mrs. Cullen was my hateful mother-in-law. She was a shrew." Esme shuddered, wrinkling her nose. "I'm glad that we're going out today. We're going to have so much fun today with all the girls. Alice is waiting in the car, but she's on a call regarding a patient. Rosalie is meeting us at the store." She took my hand and smiled tenderly. "I'm so happy my son has meet someone as special as you."

"You barely know me," I chuckled.

"Bella, I know what my husband and my children do. I would be remiss if I didn't do my homework," she chuckled. "I know that you lost your father at a young age, just prior to your high school graduation. You went to school and are currently a graduate student at Northwestern University. You're a hard-worker, obviously very smart, beautiful and you care deeply for my son. The rest, we'll learn as we get to know each other, but I have a feeling you will be a permanent fixture in our family, sweetheart."

Everything about this woman was welcoming, kind and _motherly._ I nodded, but I was slightly freaking out that she'd run a background check on me. Though, with their history, I wouldn't put it past her or Edward to do the same. Shaking my head, I stepped out of Esme's arms. "Let me get my coat and purse."

Esme smiled crookedly, looking like Edward and making my heart clench and butterflies attacking my belly. I went to the closet, grabbing my coat and purse. I slid on a pair of heels that were in my closet, thanks to the private shopper Edward employed, and swiped my cell phone, which had been charging on the console table in the foyer.

We rode down in the elevator and got into the waiting Range Rover. It was black, sleek and sexy. A large man with dark hair and a pair of sunglasses was sitting in the front behind the wheel. Another large man was in the passenger seat. He was almost white blonde and very pale. He hopped out when Esme came down, opening the back door and helping me and Esme into the backseat. "Thank you, Felix," she said, smoothing her coat. "Alice, put that phone away. You're off this weekend! Surely, Chicago Med can survive forty-eight hours with its chief of emergency medicine."

"You'd be surprised," Alice said, sliding the phone into her purse.

"You're the chief of emergency medicine?" I asked. "I mean, I knew you were a doctor, but the chief?"

"Temporary," Alice chuckled. "The real chief is out because he had a heart attack. I was the most senior member of his staff. So, I'm the de facto chief until he returns. And I can't wait. I hate all the bullshit paperwork. Blech …"

"You could have said no, Alice," Esme snickered.

"I could have, but you know that's not me," Alice retorted, giving her a knowing smile. "I hate being idle. Makes me twitchy and things have been quiet, save for your incident." Alice shot me a grimace. "No ill-effects from your concussion?"

"Headache, mainly, but other than that, not much," I shrugged. "The bruises are almost gone, too. I barely had to spackle today."

"Your complexion is perfection," Esme crooned. "The perfect shade of peaches and cream. Most women would kill for your skin. Hell, I would kill for your skin."

"You don't even look a day over thirty," Alice cackled.

"Botox, dear," Esme smirked. "And one hell of a sex life. The things Carlisle does with his tongue." She shuddered and grinned wickedly.

 _Um, ew._

Who was I to judge? I never met Carlisle. Maybe he was hot?

"Esme, you're squicking out Edward's girlfriend," Alice chortled.

"Thanks, Alice," I deadpanned.

"Gotta look out for my girl," Alice said, tucking her hair behind her ear. "And you're making me uncomfortable, too. Esme, I love you like another mother, so I don't want to imagine Carlisle's tongue on your pussy."

"ALICE!" I wailed. "I'm trying to …"

"There was a line, Mary Alice Whitlock. You've crossed it," Esme snorted. "Bella, you have to know. We're highly inappropriate and have a tendency to take things _too far_."

"Not when Rose is around. She's such a killjoy," Alice muttered. "I don't know if Edward warned you, but Rosalie Cullen is a bitch."

"Alice," Esme chided.

"What? She is! I was around before she was and she still gives me the cold shoulder, like I don't belong," Alice said, arching a brow. "But, whatever. I have a feeling that Bella and I will be great friends. Right, Bella?"

"Just don't mention anything else about people in this car doing the nasty and we're good," I snorted.

"Duly noted," Alice nodded.

We arrived at Nordstrom's and were escorted by Felix to the boutique where we'd be trying on the dresses. He nodded to Esme, saying something in another language. Esme replied in kind, turning to an elegant, but exotic woman who was waiting for us. "Zafrina, it's been too long," Esme smiled.

"A week?" Zafrina quipped.

"Too long," Esme giggled. "You remember Alice, right?"

"I've got some gorgeous pieces for you, Dr. Whitlock," Zafrina beamed.

"And this is Edward's Bella," Esme breathed. "Someone has finally tamed my older son! Isn't she exquisite?"

"Beautiful," Zafrina said. "And I know of Miss Bella. Mr. Cullen asked me to outfit her in new clothing."

Esme shot me a look, shocked at this revelation. "My apartment was broken into and almost all of my belongings were trashed, including my clothes," I said. "Let's just say that it has not been a good couple of weeks."

"Alice, did you know about this?" Esme asked.

"I examined her after her accident," Alice said. "Yes, but I can't break doctor/patient privilege, unless I get expressed, written consent from the patient." She draped her arm around my shoulders. "I got your back."

"You two are as thick as thieves," Esme snickered. "I'm just glad that you're okay, Bella and that my son is taking excellent care of you." Esme blinked back to Zafrina. "Is Rosalie here?"

"Tia is helping her try on her first dress. She was quite anxious to get started," Zafrina replied, rolling her eyes. "Do you want to start, Esme or …"

"I already know which dress I want. I just need it tailored to fit me," Esme said, waving her hand airily. "Let's focus on my girls. I want them to look gorgeous for this benefit. Bella, you go first."

Zafrina smiled, leading me to large dressing room. I removed my coat and hung up my purse on the hanger. There were several black and white dresses in the room. "Wow," I whispered, fingering the luxurious fabric.

"I'm not sure what you liked," Zafrina said. "I think we should start with this one." She pulled a black mermaid dress with black sequins. I wrinkled my nose. "What's wrong?"

"How will I walk?" I asked. I clasped my knees together and waddled. "I don't think so. And I have a big ass. So, let's go for something A-lined?"

"You do not have a big ass," Zafrina chuckled. "That would be me. I've got a lot of junk in the trunk." She put the dress on a rack outside and pulled out a white strapless gown that looked too much like a wedding gown, but I decided to put it on. I walked out and listened to Alice and Esme fawn over me. But, Zafrina recognized my scowl. "Do you like the dress, Bella?"

"Too bridal," I shrugged.

"Maybe you can keep this one on the side for when Edward pops the question," Esme squealed.

"Please, Edward's never going to get married," came the sour voice of a gorgeous blonde standing on another podium. "She's his flavor of the week and you're wasting your time and money on that skank."

"Rosalie Cullen!" Esme barked, clearly very angry with her. "I can't believe you'd say that."

"Oh, please. Edward's still fucking all the Denali sisters. I'm surprised his dick hasn't shriveled up and fallen off," Rosalie said, smoothing her dress. "Get tested, little girl. You might catch something from Skankward." Esme shot up, grabbed Rosalie's arm and dragged her off the podium. Rosalie looked scared as they disappeared.

"I think Bella's right about this being too bridal," Alice said, trying to diffuse the situation.

"There was a black/white strapless sheath that I liked," I said, trying not to take Rosalie's comments to heart.

"I'll help her, Zafrina," Alice murmured, guiding me back to the dressing room. Inside, we could hear Esme ripping Rosalie a new asshole. Alice leaned in. "Rose was out of line. I can see a difference in Edward."

"Is he really sleeping with the Denali sisters?" I hissed.

"No! And I can assure you, as his physician and with his permission, he's clean," Alice hissed back. "You're not the flavor of the week. I can see something more with Edward when he looks at you, Bella." She unzipped me and helped me into the dress that I liked. I held it up as she zipped it up and smiled widely. "Now, Edward is going to shit his pants when he sees this."

I turned, looking in the mirror in the dressing room and was honestly _shocked_ at sexy I looked. My collarbones were pronounced and my boobs were perky. "Damn. I have cleavage," I breathed. I cupped my breasts and giggled. Turning, I ran my hands down my sides, cupping my butt. "And it makes my ass look great."

"If I were a lesbian, I'd fuck you," Alice smirked.

"Thanks, Alice," I retorted. She smacked my ass before dragging me out of the dressing room. She pushed me onto the podium where Rosalie was standing. Zafrina was fawning over me and I knew this was the dress. As Zafrina and Alice were discussing hair, makeup and accessories, Rosalie stomped out and shot me a hateful, spiteful glare before leaving the boutique. She damn near ran over Zafrina as she was bringing me a pair of earrings to try on, not even bothering to apologize.

Esme came out and her face was red with anger. Her caramel hair was ruffled and she was still seething. "I honestly don't know what my son sees in that woman," she spat. "She's so vindictive." She looked at me, smiling, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Bella, that dress is perfect for you."

"Thank you," I said, shifting uncomfortably. "I was thinking this was the dress for the benefit."

"Excellent," Esme beamed. "But those earrings are all wrong. You need something understated, but classic. Simple diamond studs would be perfect, with a matching diamond tennis bracelet." She whipped out her phone, tapping something on the screen. "Zafrina, we'll take this for Bella."

"And for shoes?" Zafrina asked.

"Black, peep-toe Christian Louboutin's," Esme nodded. "With a rhinestone clutch. Send it to the house, along with the dress once it's tailored. It's just a touch too long." She narrowed her eyes. "I think I saw something. I'll be right back." She sashayed away with Tia, Zafrina's assistant on her tail. Zafrina was marking the skirt so it could be hemmed.

"What just happened?" I asked.

"I think Rose had ass handed to her by the classy, but deadly Esme Cullen," Alice snickered.

"Deadly?" I squeaked.

"Do you think that Edward and Emmett are the only ones who can fire a gun or take someone out," Alice smirked. "And you handled that she-beast like a pro. You'll fit in perfectly with us, Bella." She hugged me, grinning widely. "Welcome to the family!"

 **A/N: Rose is an uber bitch. Up next will dinner with the family and leading up to the benefit, possibly getting _to_ the benefit. We're going to experience dinner in Edward's eyes and hear Bella's take on Edward's family later. Though, I think we can all agree that Rose is just downright rude. _Just saying …_**

 **Pictures of Bella's dress are on my blog. You'll see all the women's dresses once the benefit chapter is posted. They are all gorgeous. Leave me some loving and thank you for reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

**So, none of this is mine. I wrote the first chapter for a contest and now, I'm expanding it. What I own … a condo and too many books. What I don't … _Twilight_ and all its characters. **

**Rose is an uber bitch. Up next will dinner with the family and leading up to the benefit, possibly getting _to_ the benefit. We're going to experience dinner in Edward's eyes and hear Bella's take on Edward's family later. Though, I think we can all agree that Rose is just downright rude. _Just saying …_**

 **In a review, someone asked how old Edward and Bella were. Edward is thirty-five and Bella is twenty-four. There's an eleven-year difference between the two of them, but Bella is an old soul.**

 **Chapter Five**

 **EPOV**

"Boss, you're going to bite off your thumb. Stop doing that," Jasper snorted, tugging my finger out of my mouth. I'd been nibbling on the nail, anxious to see Bella. I'd driven to my parents' house after making a _very_ important purchase and received an angry text from my mother.

 _Rose has crossed the line … she may need to be reminded how to behave. 'The Boss' needs to have a discussion with her. Not. Emmett. ~ Mom_

I responded to her. _What happened? I need to know the facts before I go all 'mafia' on her ass ~ E.C._

Mom sent me a diatribe about how she disrespected me in front of Bella and Alice. I replied to her saying that I'd have a conversation with her and that she needed to know that she _wasn't_ in charge. She would be reminded of her place in this family. "Boss? You're growling."

"Is Emmett here?" I asked, looking over at him.

"I believe so," Jasper answered. "I think he's reading or working on the patio."

"Thanks, Jas," I nodded, getting up from the couch and walking through my parents' large mansion overlooking Lake Michigan. Emmett was working, typing on his laptop and reading files that were strewn on the table. "Emmett, can we talk?"

"Sure, Ed," he said, closing his laptop and placing it on top of the files. "That night club, Bound and Gagged, sounds intriguing. They're breaking ground this week. How did you manage to the plans approved so quickly?"

"I was motivated," I chuckled. "If things work out, the club will be up and ready to go by Valentine's Day. The owner said we're VIPs and would get all of the perks, therein." I sighed, sitting down across from him. I handed him my phone. "Read that."

He skimmed Mom's text and he grumbled lowly. "I'll talk to her, Edward," he said.

"No. You won't. She disrespected _me_ and disrespected my girlfriend," I snapped. "She may not have to like me. Hell, I hate her guts, but I respect her because she's your wife. She will know that if she talks about me like that, there will be consequences."

"Are you going to kill my wife?" Emmett asked, his eyes wide.

"No, but she needs to know her place, Emmett. I'm going to be the head of this family. Not her. Her opinion doesn't mean shit to me, but I will be respected," I said, scrubbing my face. "Rose disrespected Bella, which is … well, it's not fucking good, Emmett."

"But, isn't she just a _date?_ " Emmett questioned, narrowing his eyes. He knew my history and even gave me shit because of my conquests and nightly visits to the Denali sisters. But, I expected that from him. He was my brother. And before he married Rosalie, he was doing the exact same fucking thing. I think he even had a threesome with Tanya and Irina.

 _Anyhow, I digress …_

"No, Emmett. She's everything," I responded. "I never thought I'd understand what Mom and Dad feel, what you felt with Rose, what Jasper feels with Alice … I used women. I know that, but Bella? She will be my wife." I reached into my pocket and tossed him the box which held Bella's ring. He blew out a low whistle. "She's different. I know we just met, but she's my _dolce_."

"Don't go soft, bro," Emmett said, getting up and handing me the ring. "It's gorgeous. I'm certain she'll love it. Small, though?"

"Bella … she's not impressed by fancy things," I chuckled. "But, what it lacks in size, it makes up in quality." It was smaller than I wanted. I would have liked a ring that was ostentatious and bold, but I knew that Bella would not wear it. I wanted the world to know she was mine. This ring, it was gorgeous, but elegant in its simplicity. It was a two-carat cushion cut ring, with smaller round-cut diamonds around it and going down the double shank of the shoulders. I put the ring back into my pocket and walked toward the balcony, overlooking the lake. It was frigid, but with the heaters and lit fire, the patio was comfortable. "Once Rosalie comes back, I'm going to talk to her. You can't … I need to do this for me and for Bella. I hope you understand."

"I do, Edward. She did cross a line," Emmett sighed. "I'm sorry."

"EMMETT!" came the hyena-like voice of Rosalie. _Speak of the devil …_ "Where the fuck are you? You'll not believe what your mother did to me!" She teetered out onto the patio, huffing angrily. "She had the nerve to call me out about Edward's skanky behavior. The guy is walking STI!"

"Emmett," I hissed, turning to face them. Rose glowered at me, crossing her arms over her ample chest. "I need a word with your wife. Alone."

"Got it, Boss," he said. He turned to Rose and narrowed his eyes. "Do yourself a favor, stay quiet unless it's to apologize, Rosie. You crossed the line." He kissed her forehead before stalking off the patio.

"So, I'm not entitled to free speech?" Rosalie spat. "You are a skank, Edward."

"And you're a bitch, but I wouldn't say that in front of people," I snarled. "I don't care if you don't like me. I don't like you. I never have and probably never will, but that's neither here nor there. You're my brother's wife and I will _respect_ you. Just like expect you to respect me. Do you know my position?"

"You're going to _ruin_ this family," she sneered.

"No, I'm going to lead them. Everyone knows this and I get _respect_ because of it. And yet, you're the only one who doesn't show me that _same_ respect, Rosalie. For people who don't respect the Boss, they get punished," I growled, walking toward her and glaring at her. "I know my mother had a few choice words for you. Gold-digging whore? Cheater? Slut?" Rose paled. "You think I don't know what goes on in my own family?"

"Please don't say anything," she whimpered.

"What? That you fucked Royce King in my brother's bed?" I scoffed. "That you had an abortion even though you and Emmett are trying to have a baby?"

"Edward …" she sniffled.

"That's not all, Rosalie," I sneered. "I know all of your dirty secrets." I blocked her against the wall, cupping her chin and forcing her violet eyes to mine. "One more toe out of line and Emmett knows all of them. And perhaps, _he's_ the one who should be tested because his wife is a whore, who spreads her legs for any animal. Who likes to be fucked in the ass by the likes of Royce King. I'm disgusted with you and I feel sorry for my brother."

"I'm clean," she cried. "We used a condom."

"Doesn't. Fucking. Matter," I snapped, gripping her chin tighter. "Do I have your attention now?" She nodded, tears streaming down her face. "Your god damned respect?"

"Yes, Edward," she choked out. I growled, invading her space and narrowing my eyes at her. "Yes, Boss."

"Clean yourself up and you will treat my family, my girlfriend especially, respectfully. Do I make myself clear?" I asked, backing away. She nodded, wiping her cheeks. "You've been warned, Rosalie. I won't be so kind next time." She darted away and I heard her sob as she ran up the stairs. My father snuck onto the patio from his office, holding a brandy snifter and grinning smugly. "How much did hear?"

"All of it," he said. "I never thought you had it in you to bring up Rose's infidelities. I shouldn't say it, but I'm proud of you, son. You put her in her place without an ounce of violence."

"I only questioned her integrity," I said, brushing past him and pouring myself a brandy. I downed it quickly, pouring myself another glass.

"Rose has no integrity. She is an insolent brat, who only thinks of herself," Carlisle said. "How did you find out about Royce King?"

"I overheard him when I was out at a club. He was bragging about fucking Rosalie in Emmett's bed," I shrugged. "I found out about the abortion when I looked into her finances. There was a large amount of money spent at a women's clinic. Alice obtained the information as a medical professional, sharing it with me under the guise of insurance purposes."

"Was the baby Royce's?" Carlisle hissed, his face turning red.

"Nope," I said, slamming another brandy. "But, it wasn't Emmett's either."

"Do you want her trailed?" Carlisle asked. "She could be … is she in cahoots with Royce? Or is he just fucking her?"

"I know," I nodded. I texted Jasper and he immediately showed up in Dad's office, which was filled with old books, our history and a shit-ton of wood. The ceilings, walls, floor … _everything_ was wood paneled. Not my style, but apparently my father's. "Jasper, I need you to do me a favor."

"On it, Boss," he said. "What?"

"I need a tail on Rosalie," I said, wrinkling my nose.

Jasper made a face, one of shock and disbelief. "Rose? She's married to Emmett! Why would we need a tail on her?"

"Because she's been … _unfaithful …_ and with other men from powerful families," I sighed, taking off my glasses and squeezing my eyes shut. I normally wore contacts, but one had torn. I was picking up a fresh set on my way to work tomorrow. As a result, I was wearing a pair of old glasses, which were giving me a hell of a headache. "Does the name Royce King mean anything to you?"

"He's a part of the Bratva," Jasper choked out. He blinked, putting it all together. "With Rose?" I nodded grimly. "I'll put Eric on it. He's sneaky and she doesn't know him."

"Thanks, Jas," I sighed, sitting down on one of the leather chairs in my father's office. "I hate to do it, but …"

"I get it, Boss," he nodded, taking out his phone and pressing a few buttons. He spoke rapidly to Eric and he grunted in reply. "He'll start his surveillance tomorrow. Are we going to inform Emmett?"

"Not yet, Jasper," Carlisle replied. "For now, Edward promised Rosalie discretion. It's a test for her, if she can follow simple orders. I don't know if you heard, but Rose was quite vocal about her distaste for my oldest son, making a fool of herself at the boutique."

"Understood," Jasper nodded. "Did Aunt Esme give her what for?"

"And then some," Carlisle beamed. "And Edward … he was brilliant. I'm proud of you, son. So, proud."

"Proud that I used someone's dark secrets to keep them in line?" I snorted. Carlisle shrugged. "I'm going to check on dinner. Is Carmen cooking tonight?"

"Making your favorite," Carlisle smiled.

I nodded, leaving them in the office and sneaking into the kitchen to swipe some snacks. The brandy was hitting me hard. I hadn't eaten since breakfast and the hard-boiled eggs were _not_ cutting it at the moment. I swiped some nosh from the fridge before Carmen shooed me out, saying I was going to ruin my appetite. Unlikely … I lived for her ravioli and meatballs.

An hour later, Mom's Range Rover pulled into the circle drive. Felix and Demetri helped everyone out. Bella was hanging back, obviously taking in the insanity that was my parents' McMansion. She gulped and took a few steps, clearly uncomfortable in her heels. I walked outside to greet her. It happened in slow motion. Bella's heel caught on one of the cobblestones and she started to tip forward. I ran over to her, catching her before she faceplanted on the driveway. She laughed nervously, looking up at me. "My hero!" she sang.

"I aim to please, Ms. Swan," I said, helping her to her feet. "You okay, _dolce_?"

"I think that gravity has it out for me. Or is it these stilettos?" she grumbled, kicking up her feet. "Who knows?"

"Nice of you to acknowledge your mother, Edward Anthony," Mom chided, gliding over to me.

"Excuse me, Ma. I had a damsel to save from the evils of gravity and spiky death traps," I snickered, sliding my arm around Bella's waist. I kissed my mom's cheek. "Did you guys have fun?"

"Once the buzzkill left, yes," Alice chirped. "She crossed a line and I hope …" I shot Alice a look and she shut her mouth, nodding abruptly. Alice was never a big fan of Rosalie and she _lived_ for when I put her in her place. "I'm going to check on Jazzy." She hugged Bella and disappeared into the house.

"Give Bella a tour, Edward," Mom said, kissing Bella's cheek. "Dinner won't be ready for a couple more hours. Oh, and I think I have a pair of Tory Burch flats if you want to change out of those heels. I haven't worn them and they're not my style."

"Thank you, Esme," Bella said quietly. I kissed her temple, guiding her inside and once in the foyer, she slipped off her heels. She sighed contentedly, spreading her toes and rolling her ankles. I took her hand and led her around the house, after I found the shoes my mom mentioned. Bella felt weird walking around in such a fancy house, barefoot. I showed her every inch of the house, including my bedroom where I stayed while I was there. "I'm assuming I'd be with you, up here?"

"Yeah. My parents, they're pretty liberal," I chuckled. "There's one more place I want to show you. Not many people go in there, but it's one of my favorite rooms." We went up to the top floor into an airy room overlooking the lake. Inside there was a bookshelf, filled with first-edition novels, a chaise lounge and one of my prized possessions, a Steinway grand piano. My piano … I loved it. I wish I could have it in my condo, but it was too big to bring up to my penthouse. An upright piano was not enough and I couldn't find a baby grand that I liked enough to purchase. "Sit with me?"

She took my proffered hand and sat next to me on the piano bench. "You know how to play?" she asked.

"A little," I fibbed. "Any requests?"

"Your favorite song," she said, a blush covering her pale cheeks. "Well, your favorite song to play on the piano."

I winked at her, laying my hands on the keys and moving them effortlessly, playing "Claire de Lune." She smiled softly, watching my fingers dance on the ebony and ivory keys. When I finished, I started playing another favorite, "River Flows in You" by Yiruma. Bella sighed, leaning her head against my shoulder, just listening. Music just flowed from me, morphing from one romantic song to the next until I heard someone clear their throat at the doorway. I looked up and Bella blushed. "Mom? How long have you been standing there? Were you being creepy?"

"No," she snorted. She wrinkled her nose and shrugged. "Okay, a little bit. It's been so long since you've played, Edward. I thought you'd forgotten all those lessons we'd paid for when you were a child. His teacher said he was a prodigy. He could play anything that was put in front of him."

"Ma," I grumbled, my cheeks flaming. "I have a rep to uphold."

"And you do that quite well," she giggled. She arched a brow, pride showing in her smile. "Now, I hate to break up the private concert, but dinner is ready."

"Thank you, Esme," Bella smiled. "Where's the bathroom? I'd like to freshen up."

"Come, sweetheart," Mom said, gesturing to Bella. "You can use the bathroom in Edward's room." She winked at me, guiding Bella out of the room. I blew out a breath and shook my head. I never played with that much passion in my entire life. Yes, I was classified as a prodigy, but I could play the music on the page, not evoke the emotion behind it.

Now? I got it. I totally got it.

"EDWARD! Come on, man! My stomach is about to eat itself. Stop playing with your wang and come downstairs," Emmett guffawed. I rolled my eyes. My brother was so inappropriate.

 _Though, he did have a point. Your cock is pressed against your jeans and things are a little tight down there._ I got up and imagined my Nonni naked or Rosalie fucking around on my brother. The combination of both of those caused my cock to soften and almost retreat into my body.

I went downstairs, sitting down at the head of the table, opposite of my father. Bella was seated to my right, looking regal and like she belonged in our family as mafia royalty. Alice was next to Bella and she was prattling to her, talking about the dresses that were purchased for the Black and White Ball. Emmett was next to me, looking at his wife with concern. Rose was contrite, staring at the china. _Good. She needs to be brought down a peg._ It also didn't help that my mother, who across from Rose, was shooting daggers at her.

Wine was poured by the kitchen staff and Carlisle asked for the room. He raised his glass. "To the family, old and new," he said. I clinked my glass with Bella's and she blushed. "Welcome, Bella. I've heard nothing but wonderful things about you and it would appear that I'm the last one to meet you. I'm Carlisle and it's an honor to have dining with us."

"Thank you for the invitation, Mr. Cullen," Bella said quietly. "You have a beautiful home."

"That's all thanks to my wife. She was the designer for the house," Carlisle chuckled. "And call me Carlisle, please." Bella blushed, nodding. "Now, this all smells absolutely delicious. Carmen is a remarkable cook, making my mother's recipes and turning them into something even better than what I remembered as a child. Dig in!"

 **BPOV**

I was stuffed. My stomach was bloated from the six ravioli I'd eaten. Three were stuffed with mushrooms and the other three were stuffed with spinach. They melted in my mouth and were freaking huge. I knew I had to watch what I ate if I wanted to fit in the dress for the benefit. But, I couldn't help myself.

And the meatballs? They were almost as big as my damn head.

On top of the ravioli and meatballs, covered in homemade sauce, or _gravy_ as Carlisle called it, we had caprese salad, antipasto and ended the meal with a variety of Italian pastries. Despite being so full, I had two cannoli and a cup of espresso.

What shocked me more than anything was Rosalie. She barely ate her meal and she didn't say two words. When she did, Edward glared at her, with such malice and hatred, I was afraid. I saw the same anger in Carlisle's expression and even a touch in Jasper's eyes. Rose obviously was in deep shit for her behavior at the store.

"Bella, come with me," Esme said, offering me her hand. "I have the perfect thing for you to wear with your dress at the benefit."

"Esme," I said as she dragged me off. "I thought we decided that simple was best."

"And it will be simple. I want you to wear my diamond studs and tennis bracelet," she sang. "And Alice! I have the perfect necklace for you! It's absolutely gorgeous. Carlisle gave it to me for our tenth anniversary."

"What about Rosie?" Emmett asked as he looked up at us as we left the dining room.

"You know what she did," Esme said coldly. "Do you think she's worthy of wearing, borrowing my jewelry? She disrespected your brother and this family."

"I'm sorry," Rosalie said, tears threatening to fall.

Esme didn't respond to her, just turning on her heel and continuing up the stairs. Alice threaded her arm with mine, dragging me away. "She apologized, Alice," I whispered to her.

"She needs to learn her lesson, Bella. Is she truly sorry or is she sorry that she got called out on it?" Alice asked, arching a brow. "Sweetie, Rose … well, she's in bigger trouble than disrespecting you and disrespecting Edward, though those are huge offenses in this family."

"You know more," I said, eyeing Alice.

"I do and from Edward's reaction, he used that against Rosalie. Now, don't worry about her for now. She needs to enjoy her healthy serving of crow," Alice snickered. We entered a lavish master suite and Esme ducked into a huge closet. She carried out several large boxes. Opening them, she had more jewels than the Queen of England. Surely, they were not all real?

 _Holy crap!_

"Here, Alice," Esme sang, handing Alice an elegant, but over-the-top necklace. "With the sweetheart neckline of your dress, this would be perfect."

"Esme, this is gorgeous," Alice breathed, putting it around her neck. "Thank you for trusting me with this."

Esme waved her hand airily. "I can only wear these things so often. They need to be seen, Mary Alice," she laughed. "Now, Bella, you have pierced ears, right?"

"Yeah," I answered, tugging on my almost overly pierced ears. I had four piercings in the right ear, with five on the left, which included a cartilage piercing. I tucked my hair back and she cooed over the earrings I had on. "I can remove them. Well, all of them except this one." I pointed to the cartilage piercing. "I just had that done for my birthday. The guy said I couldn't take it out."

"When is your birthday, Bella?" Esme asked.

"September 13th," I answered. "I just turned twenty-four."

She smirked, pulling out two smaller boxes and opening them. "Then, consider these a belated birthday present," she said.

"Oh, no, Esme, I can't," I stammered.

"I insist," she said, arching a brow, daring me to defy her. "You're family now, Isabella. You're the first woman Edward has brought home since his prom date."

"Thank you," I whispered. "I don't know what to say."

"You're welcome, and say you'll get ready here for the benefit," Esme beamed. "We're turning the kitchen into a spa, complete with hair, makeup, manicures, pedicures … the whole nine!"

"That sounds like fun," I chuckled.

"Excellent!" Esme said, clapping her hands. "I'll get these cleaned and polished for you, Bella. They will be sparkling like new when you put them on in a couple of weeks." I smiled, nodding excitedly. "I'm so happy." She hugged me and cupped my face. "I've never seen my son look at a woman like he looks at you, Bella."

"Okay, don't freak her out, Esme," Alice snickered.

"How did you know I was freaking out? I'm not freaking out," I asked, looking over at Alice.

"Your face was as pale as Esme's walls and your eyes were wide," Alice said. "I think Edward wants to keep this one. Don't be planning wedding quite yet, kay?" Esme pouted. "Oh, stop. You planned Emmett's wedding."

"No, I didn't. Rose's bitchy mother handled everything and it was a pink nightmare," Esme scoffed. "It was like a bottle of Pepto Bismol exploded on every surface. It was tasteless and awful." She got up and went back into her closet, walking out with a bright pink photo album. "See for yourself."

I looked at the pictures, gagging at how over-the-top and ugly the whole thing was. "Wow … this is … no words …" I laughed humorlessly.

"Exactly," Esme shuddered. She tugged the album out of my hands, tossing it carelessly into the closet. She took my hands. "I know that this is new between you and Edward, but I can see something special blossoming. Don't be afraid of it. I know that our way of life is … it takes some time to get used to, but family is the most important thing. It always comes first. For the longest time, I was worried that Edward was putting his _career_ before his family. Now? I see that his priorities are changing."

I smiled politely, but it made me think … _What the hell did she mean?_

I was in way over my head.

 _God help me._

 **EPOV**

Bella's quarter ended and she got all A's. She was shocked, considering the amount of classes she missed after her attack. Normally, she'd work at The Swan Dive, but she was spending a lot of time with my mom. They were quickly becoming close and I was happy for that. I knew that Bella missed having a mother who gave a damn about her.

Alice also adored Bella, saying that she was exactly what I needed. I could see a close friendship forming between the two of them. Rose had always given Alice the cold shoulder and she felt disconnected from the family because of it. Bella accepted Alice for who she was and even gave her shit, making her feel normal when Alice was anything but normal.

Speaking of Rose, and according to Eric, the man who was assigned to tail her, she stayed close to home but made several phone calls to Royce and even to my Uncle Stephan. Nothing was solid, but it definitely raised some red flags for me. I asked one of our accountants to delve into Rose's personal finances. She kept a checking and savings account separate from Emmett. All of the women did in our family, but it was used only in emergencies. It was helped with the 'plausible deniability' clause in our relationships. Their money was separate from ours. Their accounts couldn't be frozen since their money was clean.

But, was Rose's?

I shook my head and focused at the task at hand … I was walking around the warehouse where Bound and Gagged was being constructed. The owners, Tyler and Mike, wanted me to come check it out, to see all the progress that had been made. "As you can see, Mr. Cullen, this is the main floor. Up there will be the DJ booth. On each of these platforms, we're going to have scantily clad women dancing. Show him the outfit, Mike!" Tyler said.

Mike showed me a sketch on his iPad. "Very dominatrix, yeah?" he smirked.

"My one concern is the top. This is supposed to be open to anyone. Some people may be offended to see bare breasts," I said, gesturing to the open cups of the bra. "Black leather or vinyl? That might work … Upstairs, this would be more appropriate, but not down here."

"I told you," Mike hissed. "We'll make the necessary changes, Mr. Cullen." He pulled up a different document. "Here is the drink menu and proposed specials."

"Very unique spin on the names," I snorted. "And these themed nights are unique, too."

"For upstairs, things are more exclusive. Bottle service only, unless you want to use one of the private rooms. It's important that if you play, you must be sober," Tyler explained. He swiped the iPad from my hand. "These are the rules we have for the exclusive, VIP part of the club." I read the rules and was pleased in the research and preparation they'd done for this club. "And we'll have live demonstrations, kind of like performance art."

"You need to promote it like that," I said. "You can't say that it's live sex on stage. The cops will be all over this."

"It won't be promoted at all, only by word of mouth," Mike said. "And only to exclusive members. And you, of course, Mr. Cullen."

"This all looks great," I smiled, handing him back the iPad. "I can't wait to see everything pulled together."

"Do you partake in the lifestyle?" Tyler asked.

"Like, am I Dominant?" I responded. Tyler nodded. "I have not, but I can see the allure. I'm assuming you are both in the community."

"We're in a D/s relationship," Mike offered. "Tyler's the Dom and I'm the sub. We've taught others before." Mike eyed me hungrily.

"Thank you, but I'm in a relationship," I said, grinning crookedly. "In fact, I'm going to take her out on the town tonight to celebrate the end of the quarter. I got tickets to see _Hamilton_."

"Lucky girl," Tyler said. "But, if you're interested in learning …" He handed me his card. "You'd be a great Dom."

"I'll keep that in mind," I replied, tucking it into my pocket.

"And Mr. Cullen, thank you for helping push through the permits and stuff for this place," Tyler added. "I mean, this place means a lot to both of us. We love the lifestyle and we want to show the world that it's not _filled_ with depravity like many assume it to be."

"When I see a good investment, I do all I can to ensure that I get a great return on that investment, Mr. Crowley," I smiled, shaking his hand. "I'll check on you after the first of the year." I turned to Mike, shaking his hand as well and leaving the warehouse. I slid into the passenger seat, next to Jasper. He was on the phone. From the sweet, cloying conversation he was having, he was talking to Alice. I gagged.

He smacked me. "I love you more, baby," he cooed. "I can't wait to be your cowboy tonight. Buck 'em, Bronco."

"I think I threw up in my mouth," I groaned, rolling my eyes. Jasper scowled at me, ending his call. "Dude, I don't need to hear that shit."

"Don't listen, Boss," he snorted, starting the car.

"Don't be all gross and nauseating," I shuddered.

"Whatever," Japer snickered. "Are we done for the day?"

"Yeah. I need to pick up some flowers for Bella. Another bouquet of lavender roses," I mused. "The other bouquet … well, it was shattered when her apartment was trashed."

"Got it, Boss. I'll drive you back to the office and pick up the flowers. Do you have another suit?" he asked, looking at my grey suit I'd put on earlier that day.

"I have a black one in my office," I snickered. "Are you telling me I don't look good?"

"You look fine, Boss, but I know that your mother has a gorgeous dress for Bella to wear to the show. It's this adorable little cocktail number," Jasper chuckled. "This suit, it would clash."

"Oh, my God," I laughed.

"What? It's true," Jasper said petulantly. He pulled away and drove me back to my offices.

Demetri escorted me inside while I rode up to the top floor. I changed my suit, seeing a tie on my desk with a note pinned to it saying, _wear me!_ I saw that it was a deep purple color, thinking that it was probably matching Bella's dress. After I changed, I sprayed on some cologne and smiled when Jasper came inside with a large bouquet of lavender roses. I gave him some cash and he waved it off. Picking up the tickets, we left the office and drove to my condo. "Is Jacob up there?"

"He's in the security room," Jasper said. "He knows you're on your way. See you in a bit, Boss."

I got out of the car, punching in the entry code to the elevator. I rode up to my condo and saw my mother leaving as I was coming out. "Did you help Bella get ready, Mom?"

"I did, sweetie," she beamed. "She's such a delight and we're getting so close. That poor girl, she's been deprived of a mother's love for so long. You better make an honest woman of her. Soon, son. I adore her. She's what I imagined for you. She's smart, snarky and so beautiful. PLUS, she knows how to handle you. She sees past all your bullshit."

"Ain't that the truth?" I snickered. "Thank you for helping her." I kissed her cheek.

"Anything for a future daughter-in-law," she sang.

"Would you do this for Rosalie?" I asked, arching a brow.

"Fuck. No. She's no daughter-in-law of mine," she sneered. "Emmett knows something's up. You may have to talk to him."

"What do you know?" I queried.

"The same as you, but all the sordid details. Ungrateful cow," Mom said. "Now, you're keeping your date waiting. I'll see you next weekend for the benefit. Bella is getting ready at the house and you're staying with us." She kissed my cheek. "Be good."

"Always, Ma," I chuckled, unlocking the door and stepping into the condo. Mom waved as the elevator doors closed. I shut the door, balancing the flowers and walked into the condo. It had been decorated for Christmas. Bella had used some decorating company that my mom suggested to make the condo into a holiday Hallmark card. She said that it had been so long that she'd had a real Christmas. Thanksgiving had come and gone, celebrating it at my parents' home and she wanted to feel the holiday spirit.

I walked through our decorated condo and saw Bella looking at the Christmas tree, her fingers gliding over the ornaments. Her face was pensive, but so beautiful. Her dress was a deep purple wrap dress that fell just above her knees. Around her neck was a beautiful diamond pendant and she had on a pair of diamond studs and a matching bracelet. "You look gorgeous, _dolce_ ," I whispered.

"Thank you," she said, blinking at me. "Edward, you got me flowers."

"I wanted to get you the same flowers from our first date, Bella," I said, handing them to her. She inhaled deeply, smiling softly at me. "I felt badly that your bouquet was ruined when your apartment was trashed."

"They're so beautiful," she breathed. "Let me put them in some water."

"I'll do that, _dolce_ ," I said, kissing her neck. She shuddered, looking up at me and desire flashing in her chocolate eyes. "We'll leave in just a few moments." She grabbed my hand and kept her eyes on me. Moving her hand up to my jaw, she stepped closer to me. "Bella?" Her fingers glided over my lips and she kissed me, soft, tender and filled with love. It was the first time that she initiated any intimate physical contact. Her tongue teased me and I opened my mouth, granting her access. She nibbled on my bottom lip before breaking away. My arm was holding her. Our foreheads were touching and we were as close as we could be, while still fully clothed. "What was that for?"

"For sweeping me off my feet," she said, brushing her lips against mine. "It doesn't mean that I'm used to what you do, but I can see that you are a good man. In here." Her hand was pressed above my heart. She kissed me once more, gliding away and leaving me panting. She was breaking down my walls and I was falling, deeper and deeper for her.

I took a few deep breaths, putting the flowers into a crystal vase. Bella was putting on her coat and adjusting her hair when I came out to the foyer. I slid behind her, kissing her neck. She melted against me and smiled softly. I looked up and saw us in the mirror. "You're gorgeous, _dolce._ Radiant, really."

"We're pretty damned gorgeous together, baby," she giggled, her fingers threading with mine. "Now, I want to see this musical. I don't know how you got tickets. I heard they were pretty hard to come by."

"Come on. Let's watch some history on stage," I chuckled, tugging on her hand. "I've heard that this show is life changing."

"My life has already changed, for the better," she said, smiling softly. She sighed, leaning her cheek against my bicep and I held her close.

"You're not the only one, _dolce_ ," I whispered against her hair. "Not the only one."

 **BPOV**

Okay, Edward was right. _Hamilton_ was life changing. It was history. It was hip-hop. It was magic. I loved it, every moment. I loved it so much that I bought the original Broadway cast recording and the biography that musical was loosely based off. I had something to do during my downtime since I wasn't working.

I also found myself falling for Edward 'The Boss' Cullen. I never saw him become 'The Boss' when I was around, but from what I overheard from Jacob, Felix and Demetri, Edward was _not_ someone to be trifled with. However, from those conversations, Edward was deadly and he was cunning.

It made him the ultimate bad boy.

I do love me some good bad boys.

 _What are you talking about?_

You know what they say about pastor's kids and cop's children? They're the biggest hell-raisers.

My time as a hell-raiser was coming _after_ my father's death. Sorry, Dad. But, he's kind of charming. And fucking sexy. And Edward in a suit? Fuck me sideways. I need new panties.

"Bella, you're spacing out," Alice laughed, waving her hand in front of me. "You look like you're having a raunchy fantasy. Are you dreaming of your sexy beast?"

I grinned, looking over at her slyly. "Maybe," I giggled.

"Okay, Esme's too busy getting her facial," Alice whispered. "Give me the deets. Have you and Edward fucked?"

"Wow, Alice. Blunt much?" I snorted, sipping my mimosa.

"I'm curious," she shrugged. "Have you?"

"With everything that's happened to me, we're taking things slowly," I answered, which was the truth. Things had started to heat up a bit. We did share a bed now. My stuff was in his closet and I was shocked to find out that Edward was a cuddler, spooning around me and holding me throughout the night. "But, no, we haven't had sex."

"Are you going to have sex? Tell me you're not a virgin!" she asked, her brows raised.

"Can you get me birth control?" I countered. "And no, I'm not a virgin. I'm not a huge slut, but I've had sex. Bad sex, but sex."

"What do you want? The pill? Shot? IUD?" she beamed, bouncing in her chair.

"Not an IUD," I shuddered. "Shot or pill."

"I think the shot might be your best bet," she said. She hopped out of the chair and I watched as she danced away. I listened as she burrowed through something in office. She squealed, skipping back out with a syringe filled with something. "I wasn't sure if I had some here. I keep medications at all of the Cullen residences."

"Including birth control?" I laughed.

"Rose is on the shot, as is some of the girlfriends of the bodyguards," she said. After asking a few questions about my cycle, she determined that I could start the shot today. It would be effective in a couple of days. If I wanted to get it on tonight, we'd have to use condoms.

 _Don't get ahead of yourself._

After getting a needle, my day of beautification was finished. My hair was pulled into a chic, but slightly messy chignon. My makeup was sexy, but simple with dark, sparkly eye makeup. I even had on some fake eyelashes. They were subtle, but still I felt like I had on spider's legs on my eyes. Once the makeup was on, I put on the dress and I felt like Cinderella. The dress was as gorgeous as I remembered.

"Wow," Jasper breathed. "Bossman is going to have a heart attack!"

"It's not too much?" I asked, shifting in my heels.

"Hell no," he chuckled. "What do you think of my monkey suit?"

"I think it's pretty fucking great," I giggled. "I like the velvet." _No, I didn't._ "Only you could pull that off, Jasper. Where is Edward?"

"He's here. He had to make a stop on his way here," he smirked. "I think he's outside, on the patio. Why don't you go to him?"

I nodded, carefully walking through the main level of the house. It was quiet. Pushing through the back doorway, I found Edward on the patio. A fire was roaring and the lights were dimmed. "Jasper said you were out here," I said. He turned around he looked absolutely amazing in his tuxedo. It was cut to his body, making him look larger than life. "You look …" I blinked, trying to untie my tongue. "Fuckhot!"

"This old thing?" he quipped, cocking his hip. I giggled. "Well, you look exquisite, Bella. _Mia cara_. You will be the belle of the ball."

"Doubtful," I snickered. I stepped outside and shivered slightly. Even with the fire, it was chilly. But, so gorgeous with the snow falling and twinkle lights surrounding us.

"There's one thing that's missing," he whispered. He cupped my cheek, looking into my eyes. "You are a vision and I can't imagine my life without you. I know, when I initially approached you, you told me to fuck off. You had every right to do so. I was an idiot."

"Edward?" I gasped.

"But, I had to get to know you," he said, his fingers gliding down my arm and to my wrist before he elegantly dropped to one knee. "I had to see who I wanted and in this past month and a half, I've seen so much, _cara_. You've shown me that being with someone is not a weakness, but a strength. You've made me laugh, reminding me to have fun. You've brought me light. Isabella Marie Swan, I just came from your uncle's diner and I asked for his blessing. _Mia Cara,_ will you do me the distinct honor of marrying me?"

 **A/N: HOLY CLIFFY BATMAN! Pictures of Bella's ring, her dress, Edward's tux and Jasper's velvet suit are on my blog. Leave me some?**


	6. Chapter 6

**So, none of this is mine. I wrote the first chapter for a contest and now, I'm expanding it. What I own … a condo and too many books. What I don't … _Twilight_ and all its characters. **

**I left you with a hell of a cliff hanger before … what _will_ she say? Up next will be her response, the Black and White Benefit thing and some other goodness. **

**Chapter Six**

 **BPOV**

"But, I had to get to know you," he said, his fingers gliding down my arm and to my wrist before he elegantly dropped to one knee. "I had to see who I wanted and in this past month and a half, I've seen so much, _cara_. You've shown me that being with someone is not a weakness, but a strength. You've made me laugh, reminding me to have fun. You've brought me light. Isabella Marie Swan, I just came from your uncle's diner and I asked for his blessing. _Mia Cara,_ will you do me the distinct honor of marrying me?"

 **EPOV**

My knees were barking and Bella was staring at the engagement ring in its box. Her eyes were shining with tears as she held her hand up to her face. _Should I tell her that I love her? She wouldn't believe me. I do care for her, but is it love? Could she love me? Come on! Answer, damn it!_ "Bella? _Dolce?_ " I whispered.

"You're really asking me?" she choked out, blinking up to me. "Is this real? Not a business proposition?"

"It's very real, Bella," I chuckled. "And I'm old. You're eleven years my junior, _cara_. I'd love to hear what you say to my question. Will you marry me?" _For longer than a year? Forever sounds nice._

She bit her lip, her pale skin flushing a warm red and making her look more beautiful. She nodded, a shy smile overtaking her gorgeous face. I beamed, getting up and picking her up and spinning her around. She laughed as I covered every inch of her face with kisses before capturing her succulent lips with my own. I put her on the ground, cupping her heart-shaped face and leaning my forehead to hers. "You're not what I expected, Edward," she whispered, her fingers toying with the hair at the nape of my neck. "You're different. At least, different with me. You're kind, sweet and … protective."

"I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you, _cara_ ," I murmured. "When you called me, upset, crying, I thought the worst. I hate that you were hurt because of your association with me. I will do everything in my power to protect you." _I love you._ I took the ring and slid it onto her finger, beaming when I saw that it fit perfectly. In more ways than two … the band hugged her finger, but the diamond didn't overwhelm her hand. Also, it was the most elegant, exquisite accessory for her beautiful black and white chiffon dress. "Do you like your ring?"

"It's so big," she said, wiggling her fingers. "It's absolutely gorgeous. I've never seen a stone cut this way."

"It's called a cushion cut, but the setting is something called a halo setting. It seemed fitting since you're an angel," I said, picking up her left hand and kissing her knuckles.

"Being held up by my devil horns," she snickered.

"I'm the devil, _cara_ ," I deadpanned. "You are anything but goodness personified." She blushed, ducking her head and tucking a stray hair behind her ear. That's when I noticed her other jewelry. She wore my mother's earrings and tennis bracelet. Mom had promised them to me, for me to give to my wife. Apparently, she felt that Bella was worthy and gave them to her as a gift to wear for the benefit.

My mother approved of my _fiancée._

I captured her chin and kissed her again, just because I could. She melted against me before I brought her inside. Mom was talking to some photographer. She normally hired someone for when we had these benefits to document our family and get some nice photos. "Alice, you and Jasper look like you're going to your prom," she sighed. "Look _natural,_ not posed."

"This is natural, Aunt Es," Jasper grumbled. I looked at them and they were standing the landing of the grand staircase. It really looked like a prom photo. A bad one at that. Mom got frustrated and moved them, changing them from a staged formal photo to something more organic. The photographer just snapped away, deeming them finished and then barked at Emmett and Rosalie.

"Come on, baby doll," Emmett said to Rosalie. She blanched, following Emmett up the stairs. She caught my eye, looking haunted. I was behind Bella, giving her an evil glare and she acted like she was head-over-heels in love with my brother. However, her eyes were dead. But, when she saw the sparkle on Bella's ring, something clicked. Her eyes narrowed and the deep-seated hatred reared back.

 _Rosalie still hadn't learned her lesson._

From Bella's hiss, she was not going to let Rose get away with anything. She was glowering at her and ready to spit nails. _That's my girl._ I kissed her temple, holding Bella close to me and daring Rose with my confident smirk for her to cross me or to cross Bella. If either happened, she was going to be _limping_ home, if Emmett would allow her into the house.

She had the gall to call me a skank? She's one to talk. She was the skank. And a murderer, too. _A baby killer_. I'm all about a woman's right to choose; it's her body, but damn. That's cold.

"Edward," Mom cooed, walking over to us. She looked absolutely exquisite in a mainly black gown with white accents. It was long-sleeved, cinched with a jeweled belt. She kissed my cheek, smiling softly. "You look so handsome, sweetheart."

"Thank you, Mom," I smiled crookedly.

"And Bella, that dress is perfection on you," Mom sang, taking Bella's hands and her thumb ran across her ring. "What's this?" She lifted Bella's hand and inspected the ring. "Did my son propose?"

"He did," Bella blushed. "On the patio, just after I finished getting ready."

Esme hugged her and then promptly smacked me. "OW! What was that for?" I grumbled, rubbing my arm.

"Why didn't you tell me?! We could have had an engagement shoot for you two!" Mom said, pouting dramatically. "Peter! You have to take extra time with my oldest son and his new _fiancée!_ We'll use one of these photos for the announcement in the paper!" She took Bella's hand, tugging her gently to the stairs. Emmett helped Rosalie off the steps, but her ire was quite apparent as she glowered at my fiancée. "Emmett, congratulate your brother!"

"I'm happy for you, man," Emmett said, shaking my hand and pulling me into a hug. In my ear, he hissed, "No more late nights with the Denali sisters?"

"That was a mistake in the first place," I said, giving him stern look. He looked abashed, apologizing quietly. "And since I've met Bella, all I want is her."

"Good, I'm glad," Emmett replied. He grinned, full of dimples and teeth, hugging me again. "Do you love her?"

I didn't respond out loud, but I did nod, looking at Bella. My mother was fawning over her and I could hear her prattle on about the wedding of the century. "I better save her before Mom starts discussing china patterns or some shit like that," I snickered.

"Congrats, Edward," Emmett beamed.

We hugged once again and joined my _dolce_. Mom was gushing about the ring and ideas for the venue, the date, the dress, _everything._ Bella looked completely overwhelmed. "Mom, we got engaged today. Let's take a breath before we put all of these plans into motion. Okay?"

"But, we have to …" Mom gushed.

"Esme, stop," Carlisle chuckled, kissing her temple. "Let the boy enjoy his engagement. You'll get to plan the wedding of the century, but with Bella's approval. Right, Bella?"

"Yes, thank you," Bella chuckled nervously. Her hand found mine and she squeezed the hell out of it. I twined our fingers together, giving her an understanding smile. She seemed pale and slightly dazed by my mother's prattling. "Pictures?"

"Right! Pictures," Peter barked. "We need to make these magical, Mr. Cullen. This way. In front of the Christmas tree." He positioned us in front the tree, with Bella's hand which wore the ring on my bicep. We melted against each other, moving with ease of a couple that had been together a lot longer than six weeks. I kissed her temple, stared into her eyes and just let myself get lost in the moment. With a soft kiss to her lips, Peter squealed happily saying that photo was going to be one for the engagement announcements.

With those photos completed, we took a few family photos. Emmett kept his wife far away from me, but I could feel her seething anger from across the room. She hid it well under her cool smiles and pleasant interaction with the family, but bubbling beneath the surface was her anger and her disrespect. I was just _waiting_ for her to fuck up. I so wanted to put her in her god damned place.

 **BPOV**

"Why are we all taking separate limos?" I asked as we drove the hotel where the benefit was being held. "And who's protecting us?"

"Jasper is technically working tonight, but Jacob is driving the limo for us," Edward explained, his arm draped casually over my shoulders. "However, Jasper, since he's _family_ is going into the benefit as a guest, but he's armed to the teeth."

"And you?" I asked, arching a brow. He returned my look, crossing his leg and showing me an ankle harness. It had gun strapped just above his shoe. He also showed me another harness on his other leg which held a hunting knife. "Damn," I laughed anxiously. "Do you think something would happen?"

"Unlikely," he shrugged, covering his weapons and pulling me closer, his lips finding the spot behind my ear that made me swoon and melt against him. Whenever he kissed me there, I needed new damn panties. "You smell so good, _dolce._ Almost good enough to _eat_." He picked up my hand and ran his thumb over the engagement ring on my finger. "Bella, _dolce_ , I think you should be wary of Rose."

"Believe me. I already am," I snorted. "She was downright mean at the fitting. But, she did bring up something that raised some red flags for me. Who are the Denali sisters?"

"Three fucking mistakes," Edward sighed, scrubbing his face. "Bella, I'm not going to lie to you and say that I was a monk. I wasn't. Far from it. I never had relationships. Up until I met you, I saw relationships as weaknesses. Another way for someone to fuck with you. So, my history with women was to use them for _one thing only_. And it wasn't for relationships. It was for fucking. Plain and simple." He frowned, twining our fingers together. "You said it yourself. I'm a cold-hearted killer. I was a bastard. Fuck, I'm still a bastard."

"Your parents are clearly still married and madly in love with each other," I said, poking his side and trying to lighten the mood.

"You know what I mean," he deadpanned, rolling his eyes. "However, since I've met you, I haven't been with anyone. I don't want to be with anyone _but_ you." He blushed and held me closer. " _Cara,_ full disclosure, I'm clean. Alice performed a test and made sure that I was … that my past didn't come back to kick me in the ass."

"Alice told me," I replied. "She told me after I asked about birth control. She put me on the shot and it'll be effective in a couple of days. I want you, too, Edward." He relaxed next to me and he cupped my chin, brushing his mouth over mine. He sighed, his forehead pressed to mine. "Will these Denali sisters be at the benefit?"

"Probably. Their father, Eleazar Denali, is an alderman and is considering running for mayor," Edward explained. "They're also distantly related to The Volturi Crime Syndicate."

"Aren't they your enemy?" I asked.

"Yeah, but Eleazar and his family are more aligned to our way of thinking than with the Volturi," Edward murmured. "I know that Eleazar would probably love for me to be his son-in-law, but his daughters … they are … well, they're sluts. They've been passed around so many times and I'm ashamed to be even be one of the men that they've slept with. Though, very little sleeping is involved."

"I don't need details," I grumbled.

"Sorry," he frowned. "I've made my mistakes and I vow to you, that I won't repeat them. I'm loyal, almost to a fault. You have to trust me that I won't hurt you. I lo- _care_ for you tremendously. I don't want to lose you. You've quickly become my closest friend along with my partner, fiancée, and soon, my wife." I blushed, biting my lip. He chuckled, removing it with his thumb. "You'll make yourself bleed, _cara_. And besides, I want to be the one who bites your lip."

"You need to behave, Mr. Cullen," I snickered. "I don't want our first time to be in the back of a limousine."

"But, could we revisit the possibility?" he asked, waggling his brows. "Limo sex … _oh,_ the possibilities, Bella." I couldn't respond. I just whimpered. He laughed seductively, kissing my lips as the limo came to a stop. "We're here, _dolce_. Just stay close, smile beautifully and know that you're _mine_."

"Wait, what?" I squeaked as the door opened. Edward slid out, offering me his hand and that's when I saw the crowd and photographers. He slid an arm around me, pressing a kiss to my temple. "You neglected to mention paparazzi, Edward."

"Just a few photo ops for the media," he said, holding me close. "Smile, _dolce._ " I did and pressed my hand to his belly. The media began asking questions about the ring on my finger. _Crap. They noticed the small planetoid on my left hand._ Edward didn't say anything, just picking up my hand and kissing my knuckles before ghosting his lips over mine. He winked, tugging me out of the frigid air and into the hotel's lavish lobby. "You okay, Bella?"

"This is going to be in the papers, isn't it?" I asked, giving him a side eye.

"Probably. I'm an influential businessman in the Chicago economy and one of the Chicago's most eligible bachelors," he snickered. "Why?"

"That guy who hurt me … he could come back," I hissed. Edward took my hand and guided me out of the lobby. He pushed into a room. It was a conference room and dark. I trembled. He took his hands, holding my face.

"Breathe, Bella," he commanded, pressing my hand to his chest. I focused on his exaggerated breathing and eventually calmed. He held me close, cupping my head with his hand. "Bella, Jacob will not let anything happen to you. We're looking for this man. You are safe."

"Promise?" I asked.

"Nothing will happen to you," he choked out. He looked at me and his thumbs wiped the tears that had spilled onto my cheeks. "You mean too much to me, _dolce._ " He kissed me, claiming my mouth and making me feel protected and safe. We stayed inside of the dark conference room for a few more moments. Edward held me closely, whispering his renewed promise of keeping me safe. I checked my makeup and we went into the huge ballroom, which was decorated in various art-deco decorations, in black, white, gold and silver. Edward smiled and shook hands with some bigwigs from the city, including the mayor and one of our senators. I was shocked when I was hugged by the mayor, congratulating me on my engagement. I went with it, thanking him and murmuring that I hoped he could possibly attend our upcoming nuptials. He beamed, saying that he wouldn't miss it for the world.

 _Holy crap._

"Would you like something to drink?" Edward asked.

"A glass of wine?" I shrugged.

"Hmmm, tonight's an important day. Champagne," he smirked, kissing my neck before moving effortlessly through the crowd to the bar.

I wasn't alone long. Alice threaded her arm through mine. "Show me, girl," she sang. I held up my hand and she squealed, hugging me. "Ooooh, he did so good. It's absolutely beautiful, Bella. I love it. Your man has exquisite taste."

"I was shocked," I murmured. "Where's your ring?"

She held up her left hand and I saw a tattoo around her finger. "With the amount of times I wash my hands, I would lose it. I tried to wear it as a necklace, but no dice. So, Jasper and I have our rings tatted on our fingers. We get them touched up every year on our anniversary." I looked at her hand, seeing that it was Jasper's name around her finger. "It's in his handwriting. His ring is my signature. I love jewelry as much as any woman, but my job kind of makes it difficult to wear it. No metal in an MRI suite, germs can get caught in rings … so, this was a perfect solution."

"I like that," I smiled. "It's romantic, but personal."

"Rose thinks it's _cheap_ ," Alice scoffed. "It's not like I don't have a wedding and engagement ring. I do. They're big and they're in the safe in our home." She blinked over to Rose, who was standing stiffly next to Emmett. "She's going to try something to disrespect you in front of all these people."

"Edward said for me to keep an eye out. I'm not afraid to bitch slap her," I shrugged. "She must be jealous or something. Maybe she wanted to be with Edward?"

"Ugh, ew. No," Alice shuddered. "Edward and Rosalie _hate_ each other. They're like oil and water."

"But, he's the heir apparent," I whispered. "Maybe she's miffed that she's with the younger brother who is _not_ going to be in charge." Alice shrugged. "It does seem plausible, Alice."

"It does, but Rosalie is an opportunist. She saw an opportunity with Emmett and she jumped at it," Alice said. "She comes from a middle-class family from Decatur. She met Emmett at a bar when she was in college at UIUC. She was swept off her feet and they married quickly. Esme thought that Rose was pregnant, but it was Emmett being impulsive." Alice's face grew stony and she glowered at Rose. "They're trying for a baby now …"

"But?"

"But, I can't say anymore or I'd lose my license," she sighed. "Let's just say that Rosalie … she's the skank. _Not_ Edward."

"You telling secrets, Mary Alice," Edward teased, handing me a flute of champagne.

"More like gossiping," Alice smirked, arching a brow. "I saw Eleazar here with his newest shrew. Ever since Carmen died, he's been going through wives like water."

"And we wonder where the sisters learned that behavior," Edward deadpanned. "Are they here?"

"Flirting with local politicians," Alice said, gesturing to a younger alderman with a gorgeous blonde hanging off him. He was enamored with her and she was eating it up, nibbling on his ear. Another blonde sashayed over to them and kissed him on his lips. "Ugh, gross. What did you ever see in them?"

"Yeah," I growled, looking up at Edward. He looked so ashamed. I handed him my champagne. "I'm going to the ladies' room. Excuse me." I made my way through the crowd and into the bathroom. I slipped into a stall, leaning heavily against it. I felt tears well in my eyes. I couldn't judge Edward on his past, but compared to those women, I was fucking troll. Surely, I could not hold his attention for long. He'll go back to them and …

 _It's only a year, Bella. One year with him._

But, did I want a year? He'd been so sweet, gentle, kind and protective …

 _He's still a fucking criminal._

"I'm so confused," I whispered, looking down at the ring on my hand. Before, I marveled at its beauty. Now? It felt like a lead rock on my finger. I took a few breaths before walking out of the stall. Rosalie was waiting for me. Her face was turned up into a nasty scowl. "What do you want? To call me out? To bad mouth my fiancé?"

"You don't know what you're walking into, little girl," Rose sneered. "Edward may have told me to back off, but you need to know that he's a monster, as well as a slut. Did he tell you?"

"Yeah, he did," I snapped. "Look, I don't really give two flying fucks about your hatred for your brother-in-law. You are just a woman scorned and it's a pity. Emmett seems to really love you, but you don't seem to feel the same as he does."

Rose skulked over to me, her hand coming close to my face. "You know _nothing_ about my relationship with Emmett," she growled. "That ring and your engagement is a fucking sham. You don't belong in this world. You're soft and stupid."

"Well, you're a whore. Can't keep your legs closed?" I said, pushing her back. "Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black? Back off, bitch. Or you'll see the business end of my stiletto heels." I bumped into her as made my way around her. I heard her slam her palm on the stall and she shrieked, sounding otherworldly in her shrill sound. I made my way back to Edward and he seemed worried when he saw me. His eyes were unbearably sad, contrite. I didn't belong in this world, but I was going to enmesh myself into it as best I could.

"Please don't be mad at me, _dolce,_ " he whispered, cupping my cheek. "It was before you. I only want to be with you, make love to you."

"I can't be mad at something that happened before me," I said. "I just needed a moment."

"What's wrong?" he asked, taking my shaking hands. "You're trembling."

"Rose decided to pay a visit to the ladies' room while I was calming down," I said, rolling my eyes. "She's got a mouth on that one."

"What did she say?" Edward snarled.

"That I didn't belong and that our engagement was a sham," I shrugged. "She also told me about your time with Denali sisters. She didn't give details, but she said that you were a slut."

"I was a slut, but that's not her business to share," Edward muttered, pinching his nose. "I'm so sorry, _cara_. I spoke to Rosalie about her behavior at the store, but apparently that fell on deaf ears. She will …"

"You're going to punish her?" I asked.

"In a way, yes. She disrespected you and disrespected me," he said, his voice turning icy. He led me to a table, helping me into a chair. He didn't say anything else as everyone sat down and appetizers were brought out. I was seated next to Esme, who continued her endless stream of ideas for my wedding to Edward. I smiled and nodded, but was inwardly panicking at how I was going to pay for this lavish affair she was describing.

I'm a penniless graduate student, mooching off my wealthy, _fake_ fiancée.

Fuck me sideways.

Was he a fake fiancée?

He seemed so genuine on the patio. His eyes were shining and he gave me that adorable crooked smile that made him look years younger. He also said he _lo-cared_ for me. He almost said he loved me. Did he love me? Did I love him? Could I love him?

"Is there something stronger to drink other than wine?" I asked Esme, downing the rest of my glass.

"I don't know," she snickered. "Were you planning on getting plastered tonight?"

"Uh, um, no," I blushed. "Never mind."

"Bella, would like to dance with me?" Edward asked as the band began playing some romantic music. A few couples were on the dance floor, swaying to the smooth jazz. "Please, _cara?_ " I placed my napkin onto my chair and walked with Edward to the dance floor. He captured my hand, holding it to his chest, just above his heart. "You seem distant, Bella. I think you agreed to a huge wedding, which my mother is over-the-moon excited to plan."

"Oh, fuck," I whimpered. "How am I … I can't pay for a huge wedding. The bride's family pays for the wedding …"

"Stop, Bella," he chuckled. "We'll talk to my mom and get her to calm down. And in regard to the wedding, we'll be paying for it. And by we, I mean _me_." He moved us easily and gracefully along the dance floor. "Bella, look at me, please."

I blinked up at him and staring into his evergreen eyes. They were shining with sincerity and concern. "I'm sorry about freaking out. I'm just … I'm overwhelmed, Edward."

"Don't be, _dolce_ ," he whispered. "I'm going to be by your side."

"Can you promise that?" I asked, hearing Rosalie's voice in my head, taunting me about him possibly going back to the Denali sisters. Or was it my voice?

"Without a doubt, Bella. You think that I'm going to burn you, but I don't want just _one_ year. In the time we've spent together, I've grown to love you. I've fallen hard and deeply for you. Those women? They are in my past. You are my future, _cara_. I only want you. I _love_ you." I gaped at him, shocked at his confession. "I don't expect you to say it back. Not yet. I know you're still coming to grips with all of this, but this ring is a promise that I will remain faithful to you and to love you. Forever. I don't take that lightly. When I asked you on our first date, I was a fool. But, now, I know that I can't be without you. An eternity isn't long enough, _cara_." He leaned down and kissed me, dipping me as the song ended.

 _Yeah, I'm in way over my head._

 **EPOV**

Bella was in her own world when we sat down. I kind of expected it. I just laid my heart on the line. I said that I loved her and I did. Very much so. I loved her laugh, her adorable wrinkle between her eyes when she smiled and her clumsy nature. I was happy that she was forming relationships with my mother and Alice, who both seemed to adore her. Even Emmett was enamored with her, thinking she was hysterical and so incredibly smart. My father thought she was my perfect match. She was my calm to my volatile nature. She kept me grounded and made me think before I rushed to judgment.

Next to me, Jasper was on the phone. He was speaking in quiet tones, but he was angry. "Got it. Thanks, Seth," he sighed. "Boss, we found Embry Call."

"The brother?" I asked. "Quil's brother?"

"Yep. Seth's bringing him in. We get to interrogate him. Tonight," Jasper sighed. "Damn. I was looking forward to getting lucky tonight."

"I don't need to know that, Jasper," I grumbled, shuddering violently. "When?"

"We can stay until after the ceremony, presenting the check or whatever," Jasper said. "Then, we'll have to go. Jacob is heading back to the penthouse to get you a change of clothes." I nodded, looking over at Bella. She was still staring at her dessert, not really seeing it. I ran my fingers down her spine and she jumped, looking over at me. Her eyes were questioning, but they were not wary. " _Mia cara_ , I want you to go back to the house with my parents."

"Is everything okay?" she asked, her brows knitting together.

"I need to attend to some business with Jasper," I answered vaguely. "I should be home by dawn."

"Edward …" she breathed, tears welling in her eyes. "Be safe, please?"

"I will, _cara_ ," I vowed, kissing her sweet, succulent lips. I tugged out my phone, shooting my dad a text. He pulled out his phone, nodding and whispering in my mother's ear. My mom looked at me, giving me a wink. Ten minutes later, the police commissioner accepted a check from the organizers of the benefit for the retirement fund for fallen police officers and their families. It was a large sum. Most of it was donated by me and on behalf of Cullen Industries. But, it was an anonymous donation. After the check was presented, the dance floor was opened once again and people crowded onto it. However, we all prepared to leave. Jasper, Emmett and I were going to interrogate Embry. Everyone else, including Rosalie, were going back to my parents' home.

I was honestly shocked when my father stood next to me after he helped Mom into the waiting limo with all our women. Jacob would be driving them back. He came to the hotel in my SUV. "You're in on this?" I asked. He nodded. "Jas, you drive."

"Got it, Boss," he said, sliding into the driver's seat. I got into the passenger side and removed my tuxedo jacket. Stripping out of my shirt, I put on a black t-shirt and slid on a black leather jacket after I put on my shoulder harness with my Desert Eagle. My pants would undoubtedly be ruined, but I didn't want to strip down to my skivvies with my father and brother in the car. "Seth said that he's not being all that cooperative."

"Doesn't fucking matter. We need to find out who his supplier is and why he's selling to kids," I growled. "And is he continuing to sell …" We parked next to Emmett's Jeep. Sliding out of the car, I changed into a pair of boots that were in the backseat and we stalked into the abandoned house that was on the outskirts of the south side. We let ourselves into the house and went to the basement. Seth was standing over a muscled man, tied and gagged against a support pole. "This him?"

"Yeah. Paul found him making a sale to a fifteen-year-old gang banger, along with a side of E," Seth deadpanned. He smacked Embry's head. "You're a special kind of stupid, man." He growled against the duct tape across his lips and tried to break free from his restraints. "What was that? I don't understand mush mouth, asshole."

"May I?" I asked, stepping forward and tearing the tape from his face, along with half of his scraggly mustache. "Shut up, pussy."

"You're the pussy," Embry sneered. "This fucktard told me you murdered my brother. My _little_ brother!"

"And you're selling guns to babies," I snapped. "One of those guns killed one of my friends, jackass. Who's your supplier?"

"Like I'm going to tell you," he laughed. "You're an old fart. You shouldn't be in the game."

I pulled out my gun, cocking the trigger and putting the muzzle of the gun under his chin. "You're an idiot." He paled. "Supplier?"

"A bunch of places," he said. "I get a phone call from a blocked number. They tell me an address and there's product at the address. Guns, drugs, _women_. I'm just supposed to sell and get the best possible price. We split the profits, fifty-fifty. I leave the cash at the address where the product was dropped off, in an unsealed envelope." He blew out a breath when I stood back up and looking back at my father. He was staring at the man, his brows furrowed. "Oh, there was something else that was weird about this phone call about the latest shipment."

"What was that?" I asked.

"They asked my guys to be on the lookout for some chick. I got a text on my phone with a picture," he said.

"Let me see," I spat.

Seth took out a small burner cell and opened the media. On the tiny screen, I saw Bella's smiling face as she spoke with her uncle. "Is that …?" Seth asked, blinking up at me. I nodded, red seeping into my vision.

"Why did you need to keep an eye out for this chick, Embry?" I growled. "What's so important about her?"

"She said that she's the key to your downfall," Embry snickered. "Pretty girl. I wonder if her pussy is tight. I'd love to taste her, fuck her until she bleeds." I roared, ready to kill him but Emmett tackled me.

"The fuck!?" I snarled.

"Don't, man," Emmett said. "He's just baiting you. We need more information!"

"You don't know me," Carlisle said, stepping into the light and removing his tuxedo jacket. He hadn't changed. Apparently, he was prepared to get his hands dirty, but that obviously changed. "Your brother, Quil, killed one of my men. Your supplier is responsible for fucking up so many people's lives, including your own." He methodically rolled up his sleeves and crouched down in front of him. "The woman you just threatened is my son's fiancée. You understand his anger. How would you feel if one of my boys turned your wife inside out with their cock? Fucking her until she bled?"

"I don't have a wife," Embry spat.

"Girlfriend. Sister. Mother," Carlisle shrugged nonchalantly. "We don't take kindly to our women being threatened. Now, do you know who attacked her? Six weeks ago, someone beat up my newest daughter and my oldest son was quite upset, obviously. Her face was covered in bruises and her apartment was ripped to shreds. Was that you? Or was that a voice over the phone telling you what to do?" He reached for Embry's pants and began unbuttoning them. Embry began thrashing. "Seth, hold him still."

"Got it," Seth said, sitting on his legs as Embry's penis was forcefully tugged from his pants, along with his balls. Jasper held him in a sleeper hold, but not applying any pressure. Carlisle nodded in appreciation as he tugged on some surgical gloves, the sound of latex slapping on his skin making me cringe.

Carlisle stood up and held out his gloved hand to me. "Knife, Edward," he said. "I know you have one."

I was still angry, but I handed my father my hunting knife and he grabbed Embry's penis with his hand, the blade close to the base of his shaft. "I can make you a eunuch, ending your conquest of fucking my daughter until she bleeds, Embry. I can slice off your balls, castrating you and making you a freak, leaving you to bleed out in this basement while we set this house on fire. Or, I could be merciful. Shoot you in the head, _after_ you tell me what you know. Your choice, Embry. Regardless, you're not walking out of here. How you die is entirely up to you. Slow and painful, with your cock shoved up your ass or quick and painless, a bullet to the brain."

"I don't know who made the call, but I know who attacked her. I called for the hit on Isabella," Embry whispered, staring at the blade as it moved closer to his meager manly bits. "He was one of my guys. Actually, two of them. One was supposed to rough her up and the other was to look in her shithole apartment for anything linking her to you. Or, rather, that one." He jutted his chin to me. "There was something about a marriage clause before he could take control … I was confused. I just assigned Sam and Sly to do the job. Sam was the one who approached her at the school. He wasn't supposed to be _that_ rough, but he's got an anger issue. Sly broke into her apartment, looking for the evidence that she was dating, or at least fucking Edward. We were told that we had to find out how serious she was about him."

With a growl, my father sliced off Embry's cock and removed his balls with a surgeon's precision. Blood spilled onto his lap and he screamed. Carlisle shoved the limp dick into Embry's mouth and retaped his mouth shut. "Light it up," he barked. Picking up the jacket, he methodically cleaned the knife and walked up the stairs. Emmett helped me to my feet as Seth poured lighter fluid around Embry. We went up the stairs and we saw the flames begin once we went outside. Seth came out, coughing lightly. We clambered into the car and drove away, Jasper behind the wheel, looking a little green. "We need to destroy our clothes," Carlisle sighed. "They're evidence."

"There's a warehouse nearby," Jasper said. We drove in silence until we reached another abandoned warehouse owned by our family. Removing our tuxedos, we changed into clothes that was stored in the back of the SUVs. In a barrel, we tossed our dress-clothes and warmed our hands. "Paul is going to make sure that we're not connected. We've got a cleanup crew on standby."

"Thank you, Jasper," Carlisle said.

"Do you know who is responsible for this?" Emmett asked. "You were particularly harsh to that boy, Dad. What did he do to deserve your ire?"

"Unfortunately, I do," he sighed. "My brother, Stephan, is the one who is behind this. Since he's a Cullen, he knows about the marriage clause about being the leader of the family. But, he doesn't have the financial power to do this alone. He has to have a silent partner. Who that is what we need to find out."

"Or not so silent partner," I grumbled. "Why would he go after the family now? He's older than you, Dad."

"He wants power," Carlisle shrugged. "He wants to bring us to our knees and he's using our women to do it. Bella is in grave danger, Edward. All our women are in danger. We need to make sure that they are protected."

"Double up the protection for now," I muttered. "Jasper, I want you with Jacob. I can protect myself. Bella, she's …"

"Got it, Boss," Jasper said, rubbing my arm.

"I want Seth to join Felix," Emmett sighed, blinking over to his bodyguard. "I can't have anything happen to my Rosie."

I looked at my dad and he gave me a firm nod. "Emmett, Rosalie may be working for the enemy," I said. "She could be colluding with someone to bring us down."

"What? No," he growled. "I know that she fucked up by disrespecting you in front of Bella. She apologized to you."

"She didn't apologize to Bella. AND, she did it again," I choked out. "Rosalie went off on my fiancée at the benefit tonight, airing some dirty laundry that should have never been shared. I know she hates me and I'm fine with that, but I will be the boss, the _leader_ of this family and I won't be challenged in such a manner, Emmett." I pinched my nose, walking around the barrel. "Rosalie has cheated on you. Numerous times."

"No, she hasn't," Emmett scoffed.

"Sir, I'm sorry, she has," Seth said. "Do you remember the day that Felix had to take care of his sick mother and I had to fill in for him. About six or seven months ago?" Emmett nodded. "I drove her to a restaurant, where she met with Royce King. They gave me the slip, but I followed them to a dingy motel off the interstate. They were fucking each other." He reached into his pocket and showed him his phone. Emmett paled, scrolling through the photos. "Felix also said that she … there's at least five or six guys, in addition to Royce."

"Could she be involved with this?" Jasper asked. "If she's fucking Royce … he could be the not-so-silent partner, backing Uncle Stephan."

"These could be doctored," Emmett said, his voice cracking.

"They're not, Emmett. I'm sorry, but I saw him rutting into her like an animal," Seth said brokenly. "I wanted to tell you, but Rosalie found out that I knew and she threatened me, my family. She said that Royce would make them disappear. My mom and my sister, they're all I have left in this world. I couldn't let them be hurt." He blinked over to me and he frowned. "I know I should be fired, at least, for not telling you, Boss."

"Seth, I know what it's like to have someone you love be threatened," I murmured. "We're not going to fire you, but you will have to demonstrate your loyalty and trust us to keep your mom and sister safe." He nodded. "I'll be in touch to let you know what that demonstration will entail."

"Thank you, Boss," Seth breathed, his posture deflating, but shooting me a grateful smile.

"But, back to Rosalie," Carlisle said, his voice icy cold and his face pinched. "I don't trust her, Emmett. She could be a mole. She's threatened your brother's fiancée and has proven to be a pain in the ass. Edward, you should tell Emmett what else she did."

 _Fuck you, old man._ I glared at my dad, but I knew I had to be the one to tell him. "Rose had an abortion," I blurted.

"She was pregnant?" Emmett asked, his voice shattered.

"Yes, but the baby, as far as I know, _was not_ yours," I said, walking over to him and rubbing his back. He blinked up at me, his baby blue eyes brimming with tears. "I'm sorry, brother. What Rosalie did … it's _sickening_. She's the ultimate betrayer, but as much as you want to hate her."

"I do hate her," Emmett seethed.

"I know, Em," I said, squeezing his shoulder. "I hate her, too. But, you can't end it with her. Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. Rose is now the enemy. We can't give her the indication that we know what she's done."

"I don't know if I can be with her, Edward," Emmett said. He was killing me. I didn't blame him, but we had to keep up appearances. We had to find out if Rosalie was acting as a mole. "How can I be with someone who's betrayed me?"

"Emmett, I know what we're asking of you is overwhelming, but she cannot suspect that we know," Carlisle said. "You can begin divorce proceedings. Jenks can start the paperwork and once we find out what we need, we'll hit her with that, but you must stay with her. You don't have to sleep with her, fuck her, but you should act like a loving doting husband. Go back to your house tonight, sleep on it and prepare for your reunion. We'll come up with some bullshit excuse saying that you had to take care of _business_. That's why you aren't back with Edward and I at the house. Okay? You have the rest of the weekend, but by Monday, you have to step up."

Emmett nodded, his posture the complete picture of defeat. "Jasper, I want you to be with Emmett tonight," I said. "Seth, with what happened, you will be reassigned."

"Understood, Boss," Seth frowned. "I do need to pick up my stuff from Emmett's condo."

"Tomorrow," Emmett said.

"After that, spend some time with your family," Carlisle sighed. "I know that your sister's medical expenses are overwhelming."

Seth's family dynamic was interesting. His mother, Sue, was a widow. Her husband died of a heart attack just after Seth turned fifteen. He was the younger sibling, but his sister, Leah, had the mental capacity of a child and was confined to a wheelchair. With in-home care and his mother's debilitating health, Seth had to make sure that his family was protected, _covered_ by insurance and he was well-paid. He was a loyal employee, but Rosalie threatening his family put him in a tough spot. We couldn't ignore what he did, but we also couldn't abandon him. He was a part of our family, even if he was played by the Wicked Witch of the Near North.

Jasper drove Emmett away in his Jeep while Seth drove my father and I back to the house. I was in the backseat, angry at the outcome of the evening. We had an idea, but not solid, on who was behind all of this. My Uncle Stephan was gunning for my family, but he wasn't alone. He was going after the women, namely, _mia cara,_ my Bella. I needed to make sure she was safe. No one was going to take her away from me.

I just found her. I loved her more than my own life and I was _not_ going to let that slip through my fingers.

The car had barely stopped and I was out the door, flying up the stairs to my private suite. Opening the door, I slipped inside and I saw Bella curled up in a ball on the bed. She was wearing one of my button-down shirts from the closet. Her hair was splayed over the pillows and she looked positively angelic. She blinked at me sleepily, confused and beautifully befuddled. "You're home. You're safe," she breathed.

"I had to come back to you," I whispered, falling to my knees and cupping her cheek. "To have an angel in my bed …"

"Hardly," she giggled, sleepily. "Cuddle with me, baby. After you shower. Did you have a cigarette or pick up smoking?"

I chuckled as she burrowed deeper into the pillows. I had, in the past, smoked, but only when I was really stressed out. "I'll be right back, _dolce,_ " I said, kissing her temple. She hummed, already back asleep. I quickly showered, tossing my clothes into the hamper and crawling into the bed. Bella rolled over, putting her head on my chest and snuggling to my side. Her left hand was laying on my belly and I saw the diamonds of her ring twinkle in the early winter moonlight. "I love you, _mia cara_ ," I whispered.

"Love you, too," she mumbled, almost incoherently. "You're safe. That's all that matters." She sighed, melting further into me and I smiled, despite the drama of the evening.

She loved me.

Yes, she said it while she was half-asleep, but on some subconscious level, she _loved_ me.

And with that, I would do anything to protect her. I would kill for her. Die for her. Nothing was going to take this love away from me.

 _Nothing._

 **A/N: Pictures of the benefit décor, along with the dresses worn by Esme, Alice, and Rose, plus Jasper and Edward's tuxedos, they are on my blog. Link for that is on my profile. You can also find me on Facebook: Tufano79's Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation. Twitter, too: tufano79.**

 **We also got some answers, but nothing definitive yet. And raise your hand if you feel badly for Emmett! *Me! Me!* Rose is such a bitch. I hate her … never liked her in the books and either I make her into a likable character (some of the times) or I turn her into a rage, hormonal, hateful bitch (most of the time).**

 **Up next will be some of the fallout from the drama from the previous evening, perhaps some citrusy times (not a full lemon, but some _exploration_ ), and leading up to Christmas. We also haven't heard from Uncle Jimmy recently. I got a lot of kudos about having a James that's actually nice. So, I hope you continue to like him as the story progresses. I want him to stay good and from my plan (in my brain), he's looking to stay that way. A lovable uncle, who is devoted to his only niece and only family still alive. **

**Leave me some! Thanks for reading! ;-)**


	7. Chapter 7

**So, none of this is mine. I wrote the first chapter for a contest and now, I'm expanding it. What I own … a condo and too many books. What I don't … _Twilight_ and all its characters. **

**Up next will be some of the fallout from the drama from the previous evening, perhaps some citrusy times (not a full lemon, but some _exploration_ ), and leading up to Christmas. We also haven't heard from Uncle Jimmy recently. I got a lot of kudos about having a James that's actually nice. So, I hope you continue to like him as the story progresses. I want him to stay good and from my plan (in my brain), he's looking to stay that way. A lovable uncle, who is devoted to his only niece and only family still alive. **

**Chapter Seven**

 **EPOV**

The car had barely stopped and I was out the door, flying up the stairs to my private suite. Opening the door, I slipped inside and I saw Bella curled up in a ball on the bed. She was wearing one of my button-down shirts from the closet. Her hair was splayed over the pillows and she looked positively angelic. She blinked at me sleepily, confused and beautifully befuddled. "You're home. You're safe," she breathed.

"I had to come back to you," I whispered, falling to my knees and cupping her cheek. "To have an angel in my bed …"

"Hardly," she giggled, sleepily. "Cuddle with me, baby. After you shower. Did you have a cigarette or pick up smoking?"

I chuckled as she burrowed deeper into the pillows. I had, in the past, smoked, but only when I was really stressed out. "I'll be right back, _dolce,_ " I said, kissing her temple. She hummed, already back asleep. I quickly showered, tossing my clothes into the hamper and crawling into the bed. Bella rolled over, putting her head on my chest and snuggling to my side. Her left hand was laying on my belly and I saw the diamonds of her ring twinkle in the early winter moonlight. "I love you, _mia cara_ ," I whispered.

"Love you, too," she mumbled, almost incoherently. "You're safe. That's all that matters." She sighed, melting further into me and I smiled, despite the drama of the evening.

She loved me.

Yes, she said it while she was half-asleep, but on some subconscious level, she _loved_ me.

And with that, I would do anything to protect her. I would kill for her. Die for her. Nothing was going to take this love away from me.

 _Nothing._

 **BPOV**

I woke up, surrounded by a very cuddly and almost naked Edward. He was holding me so tightly to his body. I looked up at him, seeing a troubled look on his face. Even in his slumber, he was worried and afraid. I brushed his unruly hair from his forehead and looked at his muscular body. He was lean, but obviously in shape and took great care of himself. I traced my fingers along his torso, feeling the ridges of his abdomen and the muscles contracting under my touch. Edward caught my hand, kissing my fingertips before opening his eyes. "That tickles."

"Sorry," I said, looking up at him. His eyes were red and unfocused. "I just couldn't resist. You're so incredibly sexy."

He grinned crookedly, rubbing his eyes and then groaning. "I knew I forgot something," he sighed. "And thank you for the compliment. Though, it's you who is sexy, wearing nothing but my dress shirt and a pair of lacy panties."

"You looked at my skivvies," I scoffed.

"They were on display when I came home," he snickered, getting out of bed and stretching. I saw in between his shoulder blades, a tattoo. It was of the Italian flag, along with the American flag crossed over an image of Italy. I bit my lip, my panties flooding at the sight of his tat. He seemed so _uptight_ , not one to get a tattoo but it made him infinitely sexier. He padded into the bathroom and came back a few moments later, wearing a pair of chic glasses. "Um, _dolce_ , you're kind of drooling."

I wiped my mouth, scowling at him. "Am not, jerk," I snorted. He chuckled, sliding back into bed and pulling me close to his body. "I'm mad at you. Making fun of me."

"You were ogling me, Bella," he said, his eyes dancing but they were holding something. There was a distant look of fear, haunting.

"You are sexy," I said. "And I would not have pictured you having a tattoo. It's _unexpected_ and yeah."

"You like my tat?" he purred, sliding his thigh between my legs and laying us onto the bed. I blushed, nodding and tracing his pectoral muscles. His hands glided up my bare legs and he cupped my ass. "Do you have any tattoos? Surprises? Ink that I can ogle?"

"One," I blushed.

"Where?" he asked, holding me to his body. "I want to see this ink, Isabella."

"Find it," I dared him. His brows arched over his frames and he grinned wickedly. He tossed his glasses carelessly onto the nightstand, his lips crushing mine. I whimpered as his tongue invaded my mouth and his hands palmed my ass, massaging it and making me even wetter. He moved me so I was astride his trim hips and he tangled his fingers into my hair. I rocked against him, feeling his _huge_ arousal pressing against my inner thigh.

 _How in the hell am I going to get that thing to fit in me? Holy crap!_

Edward's hands moved from my hair and he tugged my shirt – _his shirt_ – apart, causing the buttons to fly everywhere. "Eager?" I asked, staring into his jade-colored orbs.

"I want to find my treasure," he said, his voice low and sultry. "Getting to see your gorgeous body is a bonus." His fingers danced along my ribcage before he cupped my breasts with his hands. I whimpered, arching my back and kissing him, tasting his lips. His hands were firm and explored my chest thoroughly before I was flipped onto my back. Edward was nestled in the cradle of my legs, his cock twitching against my panties. "I can feel you," he purred. "Do my hands on you make you wet, _cara?_ "

"Yes," I panted, rolling my body against his and trying to gain _more_ friction. My pussy was about to explode. Edward kissed me, moving his mouth forcefully against mine. He moved his lips from me and he kissed his way down my jaw. He looked down at me, his fingers gliding over my breasts and staring at me like I was the cherished, beautiful thing he'd ever seen. "Edward …"

"I'm on a treasure hunt," he chuckled, his eyes glued to my pale skin. "You dared me to find your tattoo. I'm not going to leave one inch of your skin … I want to see you." He blinked up at me, looking playful and a touch shy. "If that's alright?"

"Please," I whimpered.

He sat back, my legs on either side of his hips. He stared at me, taking in every inch of my nearly naked body. I was still in my lacy thong, but I knew it was drenched and I wanted it off my body. I wanted him to see all of me. "Take off the shirt, Isabella." I shrugged it off, tossing it on the bed. "Arms above your head, baby." I grabbed the wrought iron of the headboard, stretching my body. "Fucking gorgeous. Keep your hands there while I explore, _dolce_."

 **EPOV**

Bella was stretched out on the bed. Her body was everything I imagined it would be. She was lithe, athletic, but still all woman. Her skin was the most alluring shade of alabaster, almost translucent. Her breasts were not too large, a little over a handful for me and her nipples were a deep, dusty pink. They were standing at attention, dying for my touch. I still had yet found her tattoo, but my guess was that it was hidden by her nude, clearly drenched lace panties. I would get to those later. I wanted to run my hands along her body, feeling her warm, supple skin against my palms.

I started my sensual exploration with her face. I traced her features and she smiled shyly as I grazed my fingertips along her lips. When she nipped at me, I chuckled and graced her with a crooked smirk. "You are a naughty minx, aren't you?"

"You're teasing me," she said, arching her back. "I want to feel your hands on me."

"Trust me, _dolce_ ," I cooed, moving my fingertips down her midline and biting back a groan as she whimpered, her head thrown back. I move my hands along her ribcage, feeling the warmth of her skin and her blush moving down her sexy little body. Gliding my palms up, I cupped her breasts. They were pert, firm and heavy against my hands. Using my thumbs, I circled her nipples.

"Edward," she gasped, her legs spreading further apart. I could see a clear wet spot on her panties and the outer lips of her pussy as she arched. I couldn't fucking wait to be buried, balls deep, inside her. _In time, Edward. Explore her body. Feel her. Taste her._ "More …"

I smiled at her breathy plea, leaning forward and wrapping my mouth around her nipple. She shuddered and her hands tightened around the headboard. I lapped her breast, teasing and taunting her. My other hand was twisting and massaging her other breast, making her even more aroused. The scent of it was thick in my bedroom, making my own erection painful. This was all about her, though. I wanted to see her come. I wanted to taste her pussy, to feel her from the inside, her tightness, wetness and desire for me.

Not wanting to leave her other tit unattended, I kissed across her chest and gave her other breast the same treatment. She watched me, her legs moving uncontrollably and rocking her hips against the bed. She needed to come. She was desperate. "You taste so good, Bella," I purred, pulling her nipple between my teeth and then soothing it with my tongue. She whimpered, her head falling back. She pushed closer to me. Her pussy came in contact with my knee and it was so fucking wet, coating her upper thighs and seeping out of her. I released her breast, sitting back and stroking my chin. "Now, about that treasure hunt … you have a tattoo … where could it be?"

She bit her lip, moving her hips subtly. I moved my hands down her slender waist and moved my fingertips from hip bone to hip bone. I hooked my fingers under panties and pulled them down. I held them in my hand, keeping her legs apart and I felt how wet she was. "All for you, Edward," she whispered, her eyes almost black with desire.

"I'm glad," I said, putting the panties next to me. I crawled up her body, kissing her tenderly. "At least I know you find me attractive."

"I more than find you attractive," she said, arching a brow and giving me a glower. "I want you. I want to feel you."

"Me, too, baby," I said, brushing my lips against hers. "But, after my treasure hunt is over." I sat back, blinking down and seeing a small blue ribbon, intermingled with a heart, on her right hip. It had been hidden by her panties. I leaned over, kissing the tattoo, which was a tribute to her father. I could smell her arousal, unfiltered by her underwear. _Stay in control, Cullen. She's not one of the Denali sisters that love to be fucked like animals. This is the woman you're marrying and that you love. Cherish and love her, show her how much you care._

I moved so I was in between her legs and I looked at her sex. She had a small thatch of neatly trimmed curls just above her leaking, dripping pussy and the rest was bare. _Just how I like it_. I moved her legs, spreading them so I could fully appreciate her. "Edward," she pleaded. "Lick me. Lick my pussy."

 _And she's got a dirty mouth. This woman is my dream woman,_ I thought as I leaned forward, sucking on her inner thigh. Bella's hands moved from the headboard, grasping at my hair. I growled against her heated skin as her tiny fingers threaded into my hair. It was painful, but very welcomed and it kept me focused. Moving my mouth to her dripping core, I ran my tongue along her slit. Bella's hands in my hair tightened, holding me to her pussy. _Gladly_. I slid my tongue inside her. The flavor of her body exploded against my tongue. I eagerly lapped up her essence, keeping my eyes on her as she came undone. She was rocking her hips against my face. Her earthy, but sweet fragrance was surrounding me, making me even harder than I was before. My cock was almost weeping from the most delectable torture of licking Bella's pussy.

Moving my mouth, I wrapped my lips around her clit and slid two fingers inside. _Fuck me, she's so tight._ I could just imagine her body engulfing mine. But, not yet. Not now. I wanted to take my time with her. Learn what she liked. _Obviously, she loved getting her pussy licked. She's fucking spilling out and covering your fingers._ I kept swirling my tongue over her sex and curling my fingers inside her. She was whimpering, pleading for release. From her clenching muscles, I could tell she was very close. Her whimpers grew to moans. Her hands fell to her sides and she moved in concert with my fingers. "Edward, oh, FUCK!" she gasped. "I'm … fuck me … don't stop. Don't ever stop."

I smiled against her and redoubled my efforts, pumping my hand and curling my fingers. She was panting and writhing uncontrollably with my touch, my tongue, my fingers. She was babbling and pleading for release. With a nibble to her clit and a pinky to her ass, she lost control and jackknifed off the bed in ecstasy. Her essence coated my tongue and spilled onto the bedspread. I kept my mouth on her until she collapsed, her limbs akimbo and her breathing erratic. I kissed her thighs, before pressing an open-mouthed kiss just above her mound. "So, a tribute to your dad?"

"Oh, God," Bella laughed, hiding behind her hands. "Now? You're talking about my tattoo now?"

"I found the treasure … in more ways than two," I snickered, waggling my brows. I crawled up and gathered her in my arms, holding her to my body. "And yes, I'm talking about your tat now."

"But, you're _hard,_ " she whispered, her hand moving down my side, but I stopped her before she reached the waistband of my Calvins.

"I'm deflating," I snickered. "When you came, I also …" I blushed and shifted uncomfortably.

"Oh, OH," Bella giggled. "Sorry."

"Give me a second. I'm going to address this issue and then we'll continue this conversation," I said.

"Can you get me another shirt?" she asked, looking at me through eyelashes. "Some brute decided to rip mine apart."

"Who could that be?" I quipped, getting up and tossing her another dress shirt from the closet. Bella mumbled something about an insatiable fiancé and I snickered. I swiped a pair of boxers and quickly wiped myself down in the bathroom. Tossing the soiled pair into the hamper, I slid back into bed with my fiancée – _I had a fiancée –_ and held her closely. "So, back to this tattoo … when did you get it?"

"The summer in between my freshman and sophomore years of college. Uncle Jimmy has my dad's badge on his shoulder and a more masculine version of this tattoo on his forearm," Bella explained. "We got it on the anniversary of his death to commemorate his life. Charlie was covered in tattoos, each having its own story. I used to trace them when I was a little girl, especially the tattoo he had done after I was born." Her smile was wistful. "God, I miss him so much. My dad was my best friend and …" Tears welled in her eyes. I frowned, holding her closely as she quietly sobbed against my shoulder. "Sorry. I don't mean to be a …"

"Don't even apologize, _cara_ ," I murmured. "Your father adored you, lived for you."

"I loved him so much. And I love my uncle. Jimmy is awesome, but he's not my dad. He has mannerisms that are similar, but he and Charlie are so different," Bella said, yawning. "Sorry. I stayed up as long as I could, waiting for you. It's still pretty early, but I couldn't help but ogle the fine-looking specimen next to me."

"You can ogle any time you want, Bella," I said, knowing she was deflecting. Her teasing banter was flat and her eyes were trained on my happy trail that dipped beneath my boxer briefs. "Let's get some more sleep. I'm still tired, too." I kissed her temple, unsure if she wanted me to kiss her mouth after I'd gone down on her. She blinked up at me, brushing her mouth of mine and she snuggled into my side. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her closely and I could feel the tears on my chest from her sadness.

I would do anything to stop her pain, to ease her suffering, but losing a parent is something that just doesn't ever stop. I wouldn't know because I'm lucky that both of my parents are alive, but I could only imagine the pain that she was feeling, even after so many years since Charlie's death. Holding her tighter, I let my eyes drift closed.

 **BPOV**

The next time I woke up, I was ensnared in Edward's arms. His fingers must have unbuttoned my shirt and his left hand was cupping my breast. I wriggled out of his hold and padded to the bathroom. My eyes were puffy from crying and my skin was pink from being in Edward's warm embrace. I went to the bathroom. With a sigh, I hopped into the shower and let my sadness fall from my body. Edward must have noticed I was gone. As I was rinsing my hair, I felt his arms slide around my waist. "The bed was cold and so very lonely," he said, turning me around and massaging my scalp.

"Sorry. Nature was calling," I said, leaning my head back and almost purring as he ran his fingers through my wet hair. "And my stomach was rumbling."

"I could smell my mother's delicious breakfast casserole," he chuckled. "And monkey bread and other delectable treats." He kissed me, his green eyes sparkling. "Let me finish showering and then we'll head downstairs."

"I don't have any clothes," I blushed. "Well, I have my dress, but I think that's a bit too much for breakfast with your family."

"My mom set you up with some clothes in my closet," he said, smiling crookedly. I ran my fingers up and down his torso, trying to hide my disappointment when I saw that he was still wearing his boxer briefs. _I wanted to see him naked, damn it._ I kissed his jaw and wrapped a towel around my body. "And I saw that flash of disappointment in your eyes when you saw me in my boxers. If these were gone, I'd want to … Let's just say, my baser, hornier instincts would have yearned for some hot shower sex."

"Fuck me," I whimpered, leaning against the counter.

"In due time, Isabella," he laughed, closing the glass door and turning up the heat. I brushed my teeth and left him to his shower. In the closet, which was the size of my old apartment, I found a pair of jeans and a tunic sweater. Swiping those, along with fresh panties and bra, I got dressed and braided my wet hair. When I was dressed, Edward walked out wearing a towel around his waist. He kissed my temple and ducked into the closet. After he came back out, he was dressed in a pair of dark wash jeans, a thick sweater and his glasses. He held a pair of casual shoes in his hands. "You okay, Bella?"

"I'm fine," I answered.

"I'm sorry. With what we did earlier," he blushed. "I don't want to push you, _dolce_."

I walked over to him, straddling his waist and ruffling his damp hair. "I am more than okay with what we did this morning. I wouldn't have teased you with my tattoo. But, it's been a long time since … Let's just say, I had enough batteries to last a lifetime."

"Batteries?" Edward asked, arching a brow.

"For BOB?" I snorted. His eyes darkened and his lips curled up into a snarl. "My 'battery-operated boyfriend'?"

"Oh, OH!" Edward laughed. "When was the last time?"

"A couple of years?" I shrugged. "With my school and work schedule, there was not a lot of time for boyfriends and I refused to resort to empty sex, one-night stands." I shot him a wry look. He made a face. "I want to have feelings for the men I sleep with."

"I understand that," he sighed, pressing a chaste kiss to my lips. "I may have not had the same standards, but I get why you would want that. Now, I get it, too. I don't think I could go back to empty sex. Seeing you lose control and tasting you as you came? It was unreal. I never wanted _that_. It was all about my release, never about …" He sighed, his posture contrite and a touch guilty. "Bella, I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?" I asked.

"I don't know," he shrugged. "I guess I feel guilty about how I acted previously. I never knew. I was so blinded by my own desires that I didn't care about … But, loving you? All I want to do is give you happiness, pleasure, joy."

"And you do," I smiled, kissing him tenderly. "Do you know what would make me happy?"

"What, _dolce?_ " he asked.

"Breakfast," I giggled. He grinned crookedly and helped me off his lap. Threading our fingers together, we left the sanctuary of Edward's private suite. Downstairs, in the dining room, was a huge buffet of breakfast foods. The mood was somber and I noticed that Emmett wasn't there, but Rose was, picking at her breakfast and being ignored by everyone. I poked Edward's side. "Where's Emmett?"

"I'll tell you when we get home," Edward said, a frown gracing his features. "In fact, I have a lot to tell you but I'll wait until we're alone."

"Everything okay?"

"Not really," he sighed. He cupped my cheek, kissing me tenderly. "Good morning."

"My son," Esme cooed, walking over to him and kissing his cheek. "I'm so glad you're okay." She turned to me and her smile widened. "Bella, you look rested and I love the sweater you chose. Zafrina said it would be perfect for you."

"I appreciate the clothes," I blushed, accepting her warm embrace.

"I'm glad," she beamed. "Now, come sit by me and let's discuss the wedding. We have a lot to plan, but most importantly, we have to choose a date."

"Mom, it's been less than twenty-four hours," Edward snorted. "Give my gorgeous fiancée a chance to breathe."

"Edward," Esme sighed. "These decisions need to be made!"

"Baby, it's okay. I might be fun," I said, squeezing his hand. Esme led me away from Edward, sticking out her tongue and pushing me into chair. She eagerly made me a plate and sat down next to me, pulling out a black binder. She began prattling about color schemes, dress designers, venues and bridesmaids. I just smiled and nodded, listening to her go on and on about the wedding. No decisions were made, but I was starting to get excited for the 'blessed event.' Alice joined us and she gave us some good ideas. However, when we started talking about the wedding, Rosalie got up and stomped away, an angry scowl on her face.

"Good riddance," Esme spat.

"Esme," Carlisle said from his perch at the head of the table. He narrowed his eyes, shaking his head. It was a clear warning.

Esme sighed, pulling up a website on her computer. "Bella, we need to choose a date for you wedding. Once we pick a date, then we can look at the wedding color schemes," Esme said, her voice tight.

"And that'll be something we discuss once we get back home, Mom," Edward said. "It was a long night and I know that I'm still tired from being out so late. We'll talk about choosing a date."

"Avoid the spring because Rose claimed that as her and Emmett's time," Esme snorted, rolling her eyes.

"She has no right," Alice mumbled under her breath. She got up and hugged me. "We'll be seeing more of each other, Bella. Apparently, when you go back to school after the winter break, you'll be working with one of my head shrinkers in my ER." She smiled, getting up and sliding on a jacket. "I'm off. One of my docs is out sick and the boss lady gets to fill in. Thank you for breakfast and I'll see you all at Christmas."

Edward said we probably should leave, too, but not before Esme signed me up for something called Pinterest. She wanted me to look at the color schemes and wedding ideas. She had me follow her and she said she'd send me ideas. She hugged me, kissing my cheeks and cupping my face. "Don't be a stranger, Bella. You'll join us for Christmas, right?"

"I normally spend the day with my uncle," I said.

"Have him join us," she sang. "I've heard nothing but wonderful things about your Uncle Jimmy from Edward."

"Okay," I nodded. "Thank you for everything with the benefit. I'm truly appreciative for your generosity."

"It's nothing. You're a part of our family and we take care of our own," Esme sang, idly toying with my braid. "Give me a call and we'll go Christmas shopping this week. Okay?" I nodded and she squealed, hugging me tightly. Edward had a jacket for me, helping me into it. He kissed his mom and waved at his father. They shared a nod and we got into a waiting SUV. Jacob was in the front seat with Jasper sitting in the passenger seat.

"Is everything alright?" I asked, seeing the grim expressions of Jake and Jasper.

"No, _dolce_ ," Edward sighed. "Not in the slightest."

 **EPOV**

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?" she asked, her voice angry.

"You have to tell her, Boss," Jasper whispered from the front seat.

"Okay, okay," I grumbled, rubbing my face. "We got some good news. We found out who attacked you."

"And we've got a team out there looking for them," Jasper said.

"Who?" she choked out, curling up on the leather seats. I pulled her onto my lap and held her tightly. "Who hurt me?"

"It was all related to a situation that we were dealing with before we even met," I murmured, pressing my forehead to hers. "However, it's bigger than you or me or anything. All that matters is that you are going to be protected at all times."

"I don't understand," Bella said, her brows furrowed.

"Last night, we caught a guy who is involved in our business. He said something that implicates my uncle and that the women in our family are not safe," I said, holding her tighter.

"So, this is not over?" Bella asked, her eyes watering. I shook my head and I felt her fear. It was a living, breathing thing in the car. "What now?"

"You're protected," Jacob grunted from the front seat. "We try to find out if what that punk said was true and we find those animals who hurt you."

"Exactly," Jasper nodded. "And we're both assigned to you."

"What about you?" Bella questioned, looking at me. "You need to be protected, too, Edward."

"Unlike you, I can fight and protect myself," I said. Bella paled and I could see her fear cross over her face. "Bella, I'm going to be okay. You're my only priority. Both Jasper and Jake will be with you. They'll be discreet. I also want you to start carrying. We'll have to …"

"I can legally carry," she said, arching a brow. "My dad taught me to use firearms. I have a healthy respect for guns. I hate using them, but I'm a good fucking shot."

"Preferred gun?" Jasper asked.

"Something small. A nine mil?" Bella said. "I had my dad's old service weapon, but it was taken when my apartment was broken into."

"We need to put eyes out, looking for that weapon," I barked. "They could use it and frame you. We can't let that happen. Why didn't you know about the gun, Jasper?" I was angry, irrationally so.

"Boss, we didn't know that there was a gun in Bella's apartment," Jasper muttered. "We weren't told and there wasn't a gun box inside."

"That's because it was taken," Bella snapped. "It was small, about the size of a large encyclopedia. I didn't know I had to tell you about the weapon. I'm sorry if that inconveniences you. It was my dad's and it's gone. I hate that it's gone and now? It can be used to hurt me. Hurt us!" She scrambled off my lap and pressed herself to the door, her body shaking with anger and fear. I reached over and tried to hold her hand, but she made herself even smaller, tears streaming down her cheeks.

 _Fuck me._

The rest of the drive was tense. When we arrived at the condo, Bella fumbled and hopped out of the car. Jacob parked the car, tossing the keys to Jasper. He followed Bella, who was walking toward the exit. "Boss, give her some time," Jasper muttered. "She's upset. She feels like it's _her_ fault that all of this is happening."

"Follow them," I said.

"I've got a tracer on Bella's cell phone and Jacob will talk her down. They've formed a close friendship," Jasper replied, tugging me toward the elevator. "Come on. We cyber stalk them using your laptop, Boss." I sighed, following him up to my penthouse. I tugged out my MacBook, loading the program that Jasper used to track Bella. I watched as the purple dot, along with the red dot indicating Jacob, moved along the map until it stopped at a nearby park. They stayed there for over an hour. The two dots began making their way back to the condo. I logged off the tracking program and opened some files for upcoming meetings this week. About twenty minutes later, Jacob helped Bella inside. She went directly into what was once her room, the door clicking shut.

Jacob came into the kitchen and sat down at the counter. "She's pissed, Boss."

"I gathered that, Jake," I deadpanned. "Is she pissed at me?"

"No. She's pissed at herself," Jake shrugged. "She cares a great deal about you, Boss. I can see that when talks about you. But, she hates being out of control. I don't blame her. Her life has been upended."

"And like mine hasn't?" I muttered to myself. "Jake, I appreciate your friendship with my fiancée. She needs someone on her side."

"Congratulations about the engagement," Jake nodded. "She showed me the ring. It's really pretty."

"Thank you, Jake," I whispered. "Do you have a clue on how I should handle this? Handle her?"

"I have no idea, Boss. I've never really had a relationship," Jake laughed, his teeth blinding against his tanned skin. "Listen to her, I guess. Be a friend, as well as a fiancé. I don't know. I'm not smart. You know that."

"Jake, there's book smarts and street smarts. When it comes to the ways of the streets, you're a fucking genius and you have a good heart," I said, closing my laptop. "I'm surprised you can still be so good, even with all you do for us."

Jake shrugged. "I'm going to head down to the Fortress. Call me if you want to go out," Jake said. The Fortress was the security room a floor below us, in one of the condos. It held numerous computers, a bank of security feeds and most of the cache of weapons needed for anything. Jake was the 'owner' of the Fortress, but it was one of his aliases that we'd set up for him. We had another bunker like that in Emmett's condo complex, as well as a couple of others with more weaponry all around the northern part of the state.

Jake left and I padded to Bella's room. I knocked on the door. " _Dolce?_ " I called through the closed door. I heard a quiet come in and I opened the door. She was still in her clothes, curled up on the chair and looking out the window. It was snowing, making the city look magical. "I'm sorry, Bella."

"Don't apologize. I'm sorry about being a bitch," she said. "Jake told me about what happened. He told me about that kid and about his brother that you interrogated last night. I'm sorry that your uncle is behind this."

"Supposedly behind this. We don't know for certain," I said. "I'm sorry that you were dragged into all of this. This is my fault, Bella. I'm so _sorry_."

She blinked over to me and tugged on my hand, pushing me into the overstuffed chair. She curled up on my lap and threaded our fingers together. "This is not your fault. This is not my fault. We're just bystanders. I apologize for losing my cool and acting like a raging, hormonal bitch. Alice did say that I would be a bit of a mess until my body acclimated to the shot." She looked out the window, watching the snow fall. "I don't regret this, us. I truly don't. Since we got together, rather unconventionally, I've never been happier."

"Me neither, _cara,_ " I whispered, kissing her tenderly.

"What about Emmett? Rosalie?" she asked, looking at me. "Jake told me that Emmett now knows about Rosalie's behavior."

"We're keeping our eyes on her. Be wary of her, Bella. I don't trust her. Period," I said. "She's got ulterior motives. She's fucking around with our enemies and is acting like a whore, spreading her legs for any man who is willing to have her. Emmett, he has it worse. He has to stay married with her."

"That's bullshit!" Bella snarled. "She's a bitch and he doesn't deserve to be with her."

"I agree, but keep your friends close, but your enemies' closer," I quipped, cupping her cheek. "Now, why don't we watch the snow from the living room. We have the Christmas tree and it'll make it even more magical."

"That sounds kind of perfect," Bella said. "Can we light a fire and turn on some Christmas music?"

"Your wish … my command," I breathed, kissing her sweetly.

 **BPOV**

I was sitting in the back of The Swan Dive, trying to make heads or tails of Uncle Jimmy's books. Vicky had more of a mess and I was trying to fix the problem. "Dude! This is all a train wreck, Uncle Jimmy," I grumbled. "Why didn't you call me sooner?!"

"Because I know that you're busy being all engaged and all," Jimmy snickered, looking at some receipt. "I don't remember buying this. Why would I need a deep fryer? I've got one in the damned kitchen."

"Does Vicky have access to your corporate card?" I asked.

"Yeah," Jimmy said, making a face. "Things are not going well with us. She's been awful shifty." He blinked up at me, removing his cheap reading glasses. "I'm guessing I should end it?"

"You should have ended it a while ago, Uncle Jimmy," I said, arching a brow. "She's a greedy, lazy bitch. I love you and you deserve someone better than Vicky." He wrinkled his nose and picked up the phone. I heard speak to the credit card company, removing her from his cards. He also contacted a locksmith, changing the locks and updating the security system. "Does she still have a key to your apartment?"

"Yeah, but I changed those locks when she threatened to move out. When her clothes were out of my closet, I changed those locks," he shrugged. "How did my life get so fucked up, Bells?"

"I don't know, Uncle Jimmy," I frowned. "The same way that my life is fucked up."

"Your life is not fucked up, Bells," he deadpanned. "That rock indicates otherwise. You're smiling and you're happy. I haven't seen you look like this since Charlie's death."

 _Oh, if you only knew_ , I thought. I was happier, but I was still terrified about what was happening in Edward's life, in our lives. We hadn't heard anything in the two weeks since the benefit. I still had Jake and Jasper as my shadows. I also carried a nine-millimeter weapon in my purse, after Edward saw that I was a lethal shot. We spent an afternoon at some gun range and Edward was impressed by my marksman skills.

"Bells! You're spacing out," Uncle Jimmy snickered, snapping his fingers at me. "Can you come back and work on these books? I need to get this figured out before the first of the year."

"I'll be back tomorrow. However, you have yet to answer my question about spending Christmas with me at the Cullen compound. I feel horribly out of place. I need someone to keep me grounded," I wheedled. "Please? Please? Please?"

"What about the restaurant?" he gestured blindly to the office.

"Close it. How busy are you on Christmas, anyway?" I asked. He pursed his lips, tugging on his long, blonde hair. "Be honest, Jimmy. People are _not_ usually busting down the door for your greasy diner food. Are they?"

"No. They're not. I'll close the restaurant," he sighed. "Can you post it to our Facebook page?"

"We have a Facebook page?" I snorted.

"Yeah," he blushed. "One of our new waitresses, who was hired after you left, suggested it." I opened a web browser and logged into Facebook. Sure enough, there was a page for The Swan Dive. I typed in the information that the restaurant would be closed on Christmas Day. Jimmy also said that he would post it on the restaurant's website, as well. _We have a website now, too? I think hell just froze over._ "Okay, I've been buried in here long enough. Pablo is probably ready to be relieved from the kitchen. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Sounds good, Uncle Jimmy," I said, getting up and kissing his cheek. "Love you."

"Love you, Bells," he said, hugging me tightly. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Be bankrupt," I snorted. He gave me a wry grin, waving a finger at me. "Thank you for coming to Christmas. It's been so long since we've had a proper holiday."

"I'm sorry, Bells," he frowned. "That's my fault."

"Don't apologize, Uncle Jimmy," I said. "I think things are going to change. They're going to get better. I hope they are."

"Me, too. Go, kiss that fiancé of yours and be all inappropriate with him," he laughed. "I'm going to clog my arteries with the smell of grease." He tied his hair back and put on a hair net. Tossing on an apron, he sighed and left the office.

I did some more work, ordering some supplies that had dwindled and locking my uncle's computer, changing the password. However, as I left the restaurant, I felt someone watching me. Jake and Jasper were close by, but I felt an unpleasant prickle that made me very, very anxious. I started hyperventilating and Jake caught me just as my vision darkened.

 **A/N: Who do you think is watching Bella? Or is it in her imagination? Leave me your thoughts! Up next will be the aftermath of Bella's _incident_ and Christmas. We'll also find out when Bella and Edward will be having their wedding. Thank you for reading! Much appreciated and I'll see you in a week! Hopefully, with a new computer! :-)**


	8. Chapter 8

**So, none of this is mine. I wrote the first chapter for a contest and now, I'm expanding it. What I own … a condo and too many books. What I don't … _Twilight_ and all its characters. **

**Who do you think is watching Bella? Or is it in her imagination? Leave me your thoughts! Up next will be the aftermath of Bella's _incident_ and Christmas. We'll also find out when Bella and Edward will be having their wedding. AND I did get a new computer … I'm typing this on a brand-new MacBook Pro. I upgraded. Big. Time. **

**Chapter Eight**

 **BPOV**

"Damn it, Jake. I'm fine!" I said, pushing his hands away from my head. "I'm just jumpy. You didn't get attacked and beaten to a bloody pulp."

"I didn't, but you almost passed out, Bella," Jake argued as checked my head for lumps and bumps. Jasper was driving us back to the condo. I didn't want to bother my uncle with my fears because he didn't honestly know about what had happened to me. He just believed that I was in an accident, but not attacked.

"Bella, you should tell Edward," Jasper said, shooting a look in the rear-view mirror. "I've learned that you should trust your instincts. You felt on edge and you faltered."

"Agreed," Jake nodded. "You were pale and stumbling. Please, tell Edward."

I sighed, leaning back against the soft leather. We drove back to the condo. Inside, I went into our room and curled up on the bed, trying to figure out what to do. Should I tell Edward or not? I didn't get much time to ruminate because Edward came into our room. He came to me, gathering me in his arms and holding me to his chest. "Are you okay?"

"Who told you?" I asked.

"Jasper did. Bella, I … I can't lose you, _cara_ ," he said, his voice cracking and he maneuvered us so we were barely apart. "You're too important to me, Bella. I love you and …" He tightened his arms around me.

"I probably was overreacting, Edward," I whispered. "You know, I'm still … with what happened …"

"I know, but you freaked out," he said, cupping my chin and staring into my eyes. He brushed his lips against mine and held me closely, cradling my head against his chest. I whimpered. He stiffened. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I lied.

"Isabella," he growled, his fingers running along my head and he felt a tender spot. "Nothing my ass …"

"Just bumped my head against the door jamb when I hyperventilated. Jake caught me before more damage could happen. I'm fine, Edward. _Fine!_ " I snorted, pressing my cheek to his chest and sighing. He growled lowly, his hands moving to my waist and rubbed his fingers along my spine. "I overreacted, Edward. Plain and simple."

"You learn in my line of work, there's nothing about overreacting. You feel like someone is following you? They're following you," he said. "Please, _please_ , make sure you're always with someone and call me if …"

"I get it, Edward," I whispered. He kissed my forehead. "I'm sorry."

"Don't ever apologize, _dolce_ ," he whispered back. "I would do anything for you."

"Do you know what I want now?" I asked.

"What, my Bella?"

"Just hold me, please," I sighed, snuggling closer to him.

"Always and any time," he said reverently and tightened his arms around my body. I closed my eyes and let his strength calm me. It was the only thing that could do the trick.

 **EPOV**

"Mr. Cullen, your father is on line two," Angela chirped over the intercom. "He's calling to confirm plans for Christmas."

"Thanks, Angela," I said, saving my work on my laptop. I picked up the phone, closing the computer lid. "Dad? What's up?"

"I'm fine, Edward. It's so nice of you to ask," Carlisle deadpanned.

"Busy. I'm very busy. I'm taking the holidays off and giving the office off until after the new year. We've got a shit-ton of crap to get finished before we close everything down for the next ten days," I said, narrowing my eyes.

"You're taking a vacation?"

"Not a vacation, per se. I'm giving my employees a vacation. I'll probably still end up working, but doing it from home with Bella," I said.

"You're worried, aren't you?" he whispered. "About this threat?"

"For the first time in my life, I'm terrified, Dad," I whispered, worried he'd see me as weak. "If one of the Denali sisters was threatened, I'd shrug and move on with life. But, with Bella? I'm so scared that Uncle Stephan is going to take her away from me. I'm in love, Dad. For the first time in my thirty-five years, I'm in love and I have something to lose."

"I understand your fear. I'm just as scared," Carlisle sighed. "My brother … he always was miffed that I was made the leader of the family, even though he was older …"

"But his mother wasn't Nonni," I offered. "This is why he wasn't made the leader of the family. He was a bastard."

"So, was my father," Carlisle deadpanned. "Not in the parental sense. I mean in the attitude. He was a bastard with a bad attitude. He made a lot of enemies and it would appear his oldest son is the biggest one and he's going to make our lives hell until he's either killed or captured."

"Have you heard from him?" I asked.

"Nope. Normally, if I called Stephan to discuss _business_ , he'd return the call within a day," Carlisle muttered. "Now? It's been radio silence since Halloween. He's … he's preparing for war, Edward. And we need to be ready for it. All of us."

"You, too?"

"I'm still the head of the family. My guess is that Stephan is probably going to go after you, either by hurting Bella or directly going after you," Carlisle said. "I know you put more protection on Bella, but you need some as well. I'm transferring Seth to you. Emmett doesn't trust him because of his inadvertent assistance to his wife in having an affair, or rather, affairs. However, I know that Seth is trustworthy."

"Who is going to work with Emmett?" I questioned, leaning forward and pinching my nose.

"There are a few new recruits that I trust. Liam, Garrett and Nahuel are all on my short list," Carlisle said. "Emmett is going to interview them tomorrow. So, he'll be off in the afternoon, Edward. He'll also be meeting with Jenks."

"Moving forward with the divorce?" I asked.

"Gathering information," Carlisle chuckled. "Though, I can tell you that he's moved out of the bedroom and is staying in a guest room. Rose is doing everything to try and win him back, confused by the sudden rejection."

"Has he spilled the beans that we know?"

"Not that I'm aware of, but he's pissed at her. I think he's going with the ruse that he's ashamed of her disrespect of you and Bella," Carlisle explained. "Now, that was _not_ the reason why I called you. Your mother wants to know final numbers for Christmas. Is Bella's uncle joining us for Christmas?"

"She said yes and it would only be her Uncle Jimmy. He recently broke up with his girlfriend," I explained.

"Anyone else?"

"Bella's family is small and fractured," I grimaced. "Her mother …"

"Oh, I know about her. Renee Swan, nee Higginbotham, now Dwyer, is a piece of fucking work. She is the worst type of person," Carlisle growled. "She's still contesting Bella's father's will, dragging Bella into court every six months. The 'fortune' she's fighting for is dwindling because each time Bella goes to court, she uses the money from her father's retirement and life insurance policy." He blew out a breath. "Have you considered a prenuptial agreement?"

"No, Dad. Bella is … I do not want to even imagine divorcing her … so, no prenup," I sneered. "And if Renee tries something? She'll be countersued, she won't even know what hit her."

"Are you certain?"

"Absolutely. Now, I hate to cut this conversation short, but I have a meeting in ten minutes. I have to finish preparing for it," I lied. "We'll see you on Christmas Eve. Bella and I will just be in attendance for that."

"We will be going to midnight mass at Pompeii Shrine. Stephan will undoubtedly be there," Carlisle sighed. "Anyhow, I'll let you go. Be safe, Edward. Please, I don't know what _I'd_ do if I lost you or Emmett. I love you, son."

"I love you, too, Dad," I said, my brows furrowing. The line clicked, indicating he'd hung up. My father was never very demonstrative, but I always knew he loved me. However, his _telling me_ that he loved showed me how much he terrified he was about this whole thing. I opened my computer, but was unable to focus on the file that was open. Closing it, I dialed up Jasper.

"What's up, Boss?" he asked.

"What's Bella doing right now?" I questioned.

"She and Jacob are Christmas shopping. I'm manning the Fortress," he replied. "Kind of bored, though."

"I need to get out of this office. I should be working, but a conversation with my father has sent me into a tailspin, Jas," I sighed, tugging at my hair. "Can you collect me? Dad said that I shouldn't be on my own. I will have Seth as my bodyguard since Emmett doesn't trust him."

"And understandably so," Jasper said. "I'll shoot off a text to Jacob and move the system monitoring to my tablet. I'll be there in about twenty minutes. Sound good, Boss?"

"Perfect. It'll give me time to delegate," I smirked. "It's good to be the CEO."

"I can only imagine the power," Jasper laughed. "See you in a bit, Boss."

 **BPOV**

I was wandering Water Tower Place, trying to find presents for my new family. Jacob was behind me, carrying the few purchases I'd made, using my credit card that Edward had given me. I had used the last of my cash from Edward's huge tip from when we first met. So, I was forced to use the black AMEX that Edward had given me. I hated to use it. Unfortunately, I had to keep the money in my accounts for when my mom decided to get a bug up her ass regarding my father's will. It was getting close to her semi-annual notification and spending time in court. The woman thrived on drama.

Shaking my head of my crazy, selfish mother, I turned my thoughts to a _real_ mother. "What should I get Esme?" I asked. "Jake, I'm so out of my depth."

"You get something from your heart, Bella. Like you did for your uncle," Jake answered. "Miss Esme, she's a simple woman with elegant tastes."

"Expensive, you mean," I quipped.

"Yeah, that's right," Jake chuckled. "Whatever you get Miss Esme, she'll love. It'll be more than what Rosalie will have gotten her. Usually, she gets Miss Esme a gift card."

"She's really in the doghouse, isn't she?" I asked, tugging him into some high end cosmetic boutique.

"Miss Esme? No, she's fine," Jake replied, confused. "And no one has a dog, Bella."

"No, Rosalie," I said. "Sorry if I confused you, Jake."

He shrugged, following me. I found a gift basket with some olive oil cosmetics, a mask, body wash, lotion and several expensive finishes. I nodded, picking it up. Jacob took it from me and waved down a sales person. They spoke quickly and she took the basket from Jacob. I continued wandering, finding smaller gift baskets for Alice and as much as I hated her, Rosalie. I was determined to be a better person that evil bitch from hell. Walking over to the counter, I paid for the gift baskets and arranged to pick them up at the end of our shopping trip since they were a bit cumbersome.

Leaving the store, we continued walking in the mall. "Will Rosalie be at Christmas?" I asked.

"I would guess so, but it's up to her."

"Was she always this bitchy?" I questioned.

"She was coldly polite. She kept a distance to everyone, only warming up to Emmett," Jake answered. "But, she was always mean to Alice and hated Edward. They never got along. She was always walking the line of being disrespectful toward the Boss, but she never crossed it as badly as she did with you."

"And she's still being disrespectful," I snorted indelicately. "Does she know that Emmett knows about her indiscretions?"

"Indiscretions?"

"Her fucking around on Emmett," I explained, sneaking in to a jewelry store. I bought Edward a watch box, and I wanted to buy him a watch for the box.

"She doesn't know and she's very confused why Emmett is sleeping in the guest room," Jacob said. "But, he's starting divorce proceedings with Jenks, the family attorney." I made a sad face, upset for the slightly goofy younger brother and sweet man. He didn't deserve this bullshit, nor Rose's infidelity.

"Hello," said an older gentleman smiled. "Are you shopping for someone special?"

"My fiancé," I answered, still shocked that I had a fiancé. A fiancé that had our engagement announced on the society page. The picture of us kissing the night of the ball was used as our photo with a brief article about how we 'met' and some information about our upcoming nuptials, which was just a website that Esme had created for us. She said she'd give me the account information once she had it finished so I could add to it, but we had to decide on several things, namely a date when to get married.

"What are you looking for?"

"A watch. And my fiancé is a watch snob," I snickered. "He's got very expensive tastes when it comes to his timepieces."

"I can see that. Your ring is exquisite," he smiled. "I'm Simon."

"Bella," I replied, shaking his hand. "And this is my friend, Jacob. He's my male perspective for the day."

"Nice to meet you both. Now, do you have a budget?" Simon asked. I made a face, holding up my hands in confusion. "If you see something you like, you'll buy it?" I grimaced, but nodded. He laughed, guiding me to the men's watches. He pulled out a few unique, masculine and _expensive_ options. My eyes widened when I saw the prices, but this was for Edward. A man who put a huge diamond on my finger and lived in luxury.

"Okay, Jacob. Which one? I like these two the best," I said, pointing to a sleek Movado and a chunky Mont Blanc.

"I think Edward has this watch already," Jacob said, pointing to the Movado. "I like this one. Hell, I'd buy it for me."

"I already got you your present, punk," I snorted, elbowing him. "I'll take the Mont Blanc." I put my credit card down. Simon smiled, walking away with the watch and ringing it up. Simon even wrapped it up for me, placing it into a red bag with green, red and white tissue paper. "Thank you, Simon. I appreciate your help today."

"The pleasure was all mine, Miss Swan," he answered, handing me back my credit card after I'd signed the paperwork. I slid the card back into my purse and took the bag. Shaking his hand, we left the jewelry store. I stumbled out and fell heavily onto a bench right outside of Macys.

"You okay, Bella?" Jake asked, his eyes wide.

"I just spent five grand on a watch," I whimpered. "It's too expensive. I should return it."

"Bella, breathe," Jake said, crouching in front of me. "Do you remember what Edward said about the card?" I blinked, still panicking about the amount I spent on a watch. "I think you're too scared to remember. He said that what's his is yours. He wants you to have this card, to share his life with you."

"But, I spent that money on _him._ He's going to know," I hissed. "That's the equivalent of two graduate classes." Jake took a breath with me and I calmed slightly. "I'm not used to having money, Jake. I feel like I'm mooching off him. I'm not earning my keep. I want to be able say that I can contribute to our household."

"You do, Bella. By the smile on Edward's face and the love in his heart? You do," Jake smiled, squeezing my fingers. "He loves you so much."

"He tells me all the time. I have yet to respond," I whispered. "Or rather, respond and say that I love him back."

"Do you?" Jake asked, sitting next to me.

"My heart does, but my head is …" I trailed off, giving Jake a look. He nodded, seemingly understanding what I was saying. "I'm too much in my mind, Jake. I feel something for him. Whenever he touches me, looks at me, holds me, I feel like I'm going to explode out of my skin. I hate when he has to leave to go deal with _business_. I'm so worried that he's going to get hurt, or worse, killed." I wiped my cheeks because I had started crying. "Jake, I know that you're assigned to work with me, but I want you to promise me that you'll keep Edward safe."

"I'm usually going to be with you, Bella," Jake said.

"But, if the situation comes up and you need to go with him? Please, protect him," I sniffled. Jake nodded, giving me a hug. "Phew, I'm sorry. I'm not normally _this_ girl."

"What girl?"

"A girl who gets all emotional about a guy," I said, blowing out a breath.

"It's because this caught up with your heart, Bella," Jake pointed out, gesturing to my head. "Now, who do you still have on your list?"

"Carlisle, Jasper and Emmett," I answered. "I'm thinking I'm going to get them the same thing, but a variation of it. I saw what I wanted for them online. I'll purchase it when I get home."

"Then, let's go pick up those gift baskets for Miss Esme, Alice and Rosalie," Jake said, sneering Rosalie's name. I giggled and he gave me a wry grin. We got up and walked back to the boutique where I purchased the presents for the women in Edward's family. Balancing them, we made our way back to parking garage and left, driving the short distance back to Edward's condo. _Our_ condo.

Yeah, he put my name on the deed to the condo.

I gave him shit about that because there was no way I could afford this. He also proceeded to show the changes to his will, naming me the main beneficiary.

 _Holy crap._

Too many changes in such a short time.

 **EPOV**

"Feel better, Edward?" Jasper asked. We'd spent the past two hours working out, sparring and taking out our frustrations. I was sucking down water and wiping my sweaty face. "Boss?"

"Much better," I panted. "I needed this. I've been stressed out and my normal way of working out that stress isn't really an option." I arched a brow and he understood what I meant.

"Would you ever go back to them? To alleviate some stress?" Jasper asked. "I heard rumors about their kinky fuckery."

"Fuck. No. They were mistakes. Huge mistakes," I grumbled. "But, they were kinky. Beyond kinky. You could ask Emmett, too. Before he met Rose, he indulged in the Denali's. I can't even imagine being someone who is not Bella at this point. Let's just say, I've been taking a lot of cold showers."

I sat down, holding my water bottle and thinking about my time with Bella. We'd explored our bodies, but never went as far as we did the morning of the ball. I'd slid my fingers inside her body, making her come and writhe with my _long-ass_ , _magical_ fingers. She also fisted me, giving me several hot hand jobs, but we'd yet to make love. The time we'd spent together was special and is building the trust between us.

Something was holding Bella back. I could see the desire in her eyes. She wanted me. She wanted us, but I think she needed to be on the same field, mentally and emotionally. She wanted to be in love with me. I didn't blame her. I knew that when we did make love, it was going to be magical because I was going to physically show her how much I loved her.

When she was asleep, the night of the ball, she said she loved me, but she was unconscious. On some baser level, just emotion and feeling, she did love me, but her mind needed to catch up with her heart. Every so often, she'd mumble it while we slept, but never as clearly when I returned from that disgusting display of carnage the night of the benefit.

"Boss, you're spacing out," Jasper said, his eyes glittering with anger. "You can't do that shit. One wrong move and you're dead."

"Sorry," I said. "I'm just all over the place."

"I can see that," he snorted. "Come on. Let's get you back home. You got everything from the office?"

"Yeah. Two more days and then ten days away from that building," I breathed. "I love my real job, but closing up the office for almost two weeks is harder than you think."

"I can imagine," he said. Holding out his hand, he helped me to my feet and we went into the locker room in the private gym in the first floor of my office building. Gathering our bags, clothes and belongings, we walked to the car. As we were leaving, I saw my brother. We'd ran into each other in passing, but never really had a chance to talk since he found out about Rose.

"Emmett!" I called out. He blinked up, his eyes hollow and his posture defeated. "You okay?"

"Tomorrow I'm meeting with Jenks and interviewing for new bodyguards," he said. "I'm excited about the bodyguards, but I'm …"

"Come home with me," I said, draping my arm over his shoulders.

"Dude, you're a sweaty mess," Emmett chuckled, shrugging my arm off his body. He blinked over to me and sighed. "But, coming home with you sounds pretty fucking nice. Rose … she's … she's trying everything to get me to pay attention to her. Wearing little, tiny nighties and showing off her body. She's tempting me with blowjobs, which is something that Rose _never_ does. It's all about her. All the time. I need to …"

"I don't want to know that you lick her twat, Emmett. She's a foul beast," I grumbled.

"I don't want to be reminded that I did that," Emmett sneered. He shuddered visibly. "She's starting to get suspicious, Edward. She's going to know that something's up. Rose may not be the smartest woman on the planet, but she's not stupid."

"I can't tell you want to do, Emmett," I said. "I trust you to make the decision that will keep her blissfully in the dark about the whole situation. She can't know that we suspect her with this whole thing with Uncle Stephan."

"Guys, let's continue this conversation in the privacy of our vehicle," Jasper said, his body taut and his eyes sweeping the parking garage. We did and clambered into the backseat while Jasper drove us to my condo. "Sorry. I just felt like there was something amiss in the garage."

"Bella mentioned she felt that someone was following her a couple of weeks ago," I muttered. "Did we find anyone?"

"No, but we'll get more undercover guys to watch our backs," Jasper said. "Are you going back to your condo, Em?"

"I need some time away from the whore," Emmett said, his voice dark and angry. He took out his phone, sending her a text. "I told her that I was doing something with you and Dad, Edward. She won't question me if it's related to the _business_."

"She's questioning you about your whereabouts?" I asked.

"Like she has the fucking right," Emmett growled. "She didn't give me that basic freedom when she was fucking Royce King, his lieutenant or half of the Volturi."

"You know that for certain?" Jasper questioned, his voice deadly calm.

"Just Royce for certain," Emmett sighed, slumping in the backseat. "I have a PI checking into her comings and goings, verifying where she's been, who she's fucked and everything else. I hope that I can end it with her soon. Trying to pretend that I love her? It's making me sick, Edward."

"We'll talk to Dad at Christmas," I said, trying to reassure him. "You've got four days until Christmas and then, hopefully, we can cut her loose, or at least have you move out, making her aware of the divorce proceedings."

"Thanks, Ed," Emmett said.

We arrived at my condo and saw that Jake and Bella were back from their shopping trip. Riding up the elevator, I smelled Mrs. Cope's famous chicken Milanese. I followed my nose and was shocked to see Bella in there, working alongside Mrs. Cope. " _Dolce,_ " I breathed, starting to move toward her.

"Oh, no. You are in workout clothes and I can smell your stink from here," Bella quipped, holding up a wooden spoon. She looked so much like my mother and seeing that spoon in her hand brought back some not-so-pleasant memories. Mom loved to whack my ass with that thing when I decided to _be_ an ass. Emmett was hiding behind me, whimpering, having been on the receiving end of the spoon as much as me. I elbowed him. "Go shower, baby. You're all sexy when you're working out, but the aftermath? Leaves much to be desired." She put the spoon down, waving at Emmett. "Are you staying for dinner, Emmett?"

"That would be nice, Bella," Emmett replied, grinning shyly, but stayed behind me. He was obviously still wary of the damned spoon.

"I'm glad I made extra," Mrs. Cope chuckled.

"I had a feeling we'd be needing it, Shelly," Bella snickered. "My feeling was correct." She blinked over at me, picking up the spoon again. "Edward Anthony, shower! Or your ass will become reacquainted with this implement of torture."

"Yes, ma'am," I laughed, turning on my heel.

"You, too, Jasper. Use the guest bathroom. Alice will be here. We're having an impromptu dinner party. Jacob and his father are coming, as well," Bella said. "I hope you don't mind."

"My house is your house, _dolce,_ " I said, ducking into our bedroom. I quickly showered, putting on a pair of black slacks and a grey cashmere sweater. When I was finished getting ready, I heard our guests in the living room. There was a bottle of wine opened and a festive, warm feeling in my condo for the first time I owned it. Some quiet jazz played and my family enjoyed appetizers around the kitchen counter. Alice was in her scrubs, looking exhausted and leaning against Jasper. Emmett and Bella were laughing over something he'd shared with her while I heard Mrs. Cope puttering in the dining room. I strode into the kitchen, taking a proffered glass of wine from my fiancée. "How did you whip this party up so quickly, Bella?"

"The wonders of text messaging and email," she snickered, cutting up vegetables for the salad and tossing them into the large bowl. "Alice had a rare night off. Jacob wanted to see his dad, but was afraid of asking for the night off. I suggested he bring his father here. Which, he's picking up Billy, by the way. They should be here soon. I would have invited Rose …"

"I'm glad you didn't," Emmett snorted, sipping his wine.

"And you, too, Emmett, but I didn't have your numbers," Bella giggled, clinking her glass with his. "But, that's remedied. We're besties now."

Emmett laughed, getting up and hugging her. She rubbed his back and whispered in his ear. He nodded, kissing her cheek. He took his wine glass, walking over to me. "You've got a good one, Edward. I know I was an ass at first, thinking she was just … you know … but she's what this family needs," he said. "I'm happy for you. I'm glad _one of us_ got the happily ever after."

"In time, you'll get that, too," I murmured to him. He shrugged noncommittally.

"Edward, do you have the leaf for the dining room table?" asked Mrs. Cope from the dining room.

"Of course. I'll go get that," I said, clapping Emmett on the shoulder. I kissed my fiancée, relishing in her soft lips. "Missed you today, _dolce._ "

"I missed you, too," she whispered, her fingers grazing down my cheek. She kissed me once more, nibbling on my lower lip. "Hmmm, so much." I hugged her before dragging myself away. I went into the store room and dug out the leaf for the dining room table. Jasper and I put it in. Mrs. Cope shooed us out of the dining room so she could finish setting the table and we left her to do that.

"Whoa, it looks like Christmas in here," Jasper said, looking at my living room. Under the tree, there were wrapped presents and a blazing fire in the fireplace. "You never decorate."

"Bella hasn't had a real holiday since her father died and she really wanted to be in the Christmas spirit," I said. "So, I told her to do what she wanted. Esme gave her a name of some decoration company and they bedazzled my condo, _our_ condo. I even have a small tree in our bedroom. We keep it on at night. It's very romantic."

"Boss, you're going soft," Jasper teased.

"Maybe I am, but I think I found the love that my parents have, Jas," I said.

"Good. I'm glad," Jasper nodded, sliding his arms around his wife's waist. "You deserve it."

"Edward, can you help me?" Bella called from the kitchen. "I can't lift this huge pot with the linguine in it!"

I went into the kitchen, easily taking the stock pot off the stove and pouring into the colander. Bella kissed my cheek, thanking me softly before she swiped the pasta and put it into a large frying pan, coating it with olive oil, garlic, butter, basil and some Romano cheese. Transferring that into a large bowl, Bella handed that to Emmett. She gave me the bowl with the salad and basket with fresh bread to Jasper. Alice picked up the olive oil from the counter, along with the cheese. Placing the salad on the dining room table, I went back into the kitchen. "Do you need anything else, _cara?_ " I asked.

"If you could carry this tray of chicken into the dining room, baby?" Bella asked as she and Mrs. Cope arranged the meat, peppers, and mushrooms onto the tray. The juices from the pan were drizzled on top. "I think we're good, Shelly. Thank you for teaching me this recipe. I can handle the cleanup."

"I don't mind, Bella," Mrs. Cope said, waving her hand dismissively.

"You've done so much, and at the last minute," Bella said, hugging her. "Please, enjoy the rest of the evening off. I'll make Edward do the dishes."

"Oh, my. Do you know where the dish washer is?" Mrs. Cope asked me teasingly.

"You're hysterical, Mrs. Cope," I deadpanned. She swatted at me, pushing past me. I helped her put on her coat and she picked up her purse. "Thank you."

"Your fiancée is a wonderful woman, Edward. Don't ever let her go. I see a lot of your mother in her," Mrs. Cope said, kissing my cheek. I blushed and nodded, waving as she waddled to the elevator. As she was leaving, Jacob and Billy came in. I shook Billy's hand, treating him with reverence since he was an honorary member of our family. They went inside and got settled at the dining room table.

"Edward?" Bella called. I turned on my heel, picking up the tray and carrying it to the dining room. Plates were filled and the meal began in earnest. Other than spending time at my parents' home eating family dinners, I couldn't remember sharing a moment like this. Emmett was laughing with Jacob and Billy. Bella was talking to Alice about the wedding and Jasper and I were prattling on about the abysmal Bears season.

However, the pleasant feeling dissipated when Emmett's phone rang. I waited for my phone to go off, but it never came. Emmett pulled his phone out of his suit jacket that was draped over the chair. He wrinkled his nose. "Rosalie," he hissed. "She knows not to call me while I'm working on _business._ I think she suspects something. Bitch."

"What do you mean?" Bella asked.

"I lied and told Rose that I had _family business_ to attend to," Emmett said, glaring at his phone.

"Don't pick up," I ordered. He didn't and within a few moments, my cell phone began ringing. I held up my finger to my lips, answering the phone. "Rosalie, I'm busy right now. So is your husband."

"I thought he was lying to me," Rosalie said, her voice curt. "Normally, you don't conduct _family business_ during the work week."

"Now, why would he do that?" I asked, condescendingly. "Do not call me or Emmett. We're in the middle of something and we cannot be disturbed. You're already treading a fine line with your behavior and comments about me and my fiancée. I don't want you disrespecting your own husband. Don't forget who you're speaking to. You. Are. Not. In. Charge." I ended the call, silencing my phone and gesturing to Emmett to do the same.

"She's getting more brazen," Jasper muttered. "Are you sure we can't just cut her off? Change the locks to Emmett's place and dump her shit into the lake?"

"Tempting," Emmett snorted. He furrowed his brows before blinking back to me with an evil grin on his face. "But, valid question. Can we?"

Bella and Alice were giggling, obviously a little drunk. I brushed her hair back and she looked at me lovingly. I kissed her wrist and shook my head. "Sorry, Em. Christmas and we'll have some more answers for you."

"Alice, come help me with dessert. Boys, can you clear the table? And does anyone want coffee?" Bella asked. All of our hands shot up, making Bella giggle again. She dragged Alice away and I helped Jake, Emmett and Jasper clear the table. Alice rolled Billy into the living room, setting him close the fireplace. I saw Bella pull something out of the fridge while Alice picked up a tray from the counter.

I made the coffee, nice and strong, for everyone and I could hear Bella and Alice chatter to Billy in the living room. Billy was asking about the wedding and it was nice to listen to Bella's excitement about the prospect of getting married. She gave Billy a card with the link to our wedding website, asking him to please come. He laughed and said he'd be delighted.

Carrying a tray of coffee out to the living room, I saw a cheesecake on the table, along with a tray of cookies. My mouth watered, despite the fact I'd stuffed myself to the gills at dinner. Bella began dishing the cheesecake with a few cookies on each plate. Jasper didn't even wait and he dug into his cake. "Holy fuck. Bella, this is delicious. Did you make this?"

"Using Shelly's recipe," Bella said, handing me a plate. "I made some slight changes because we didn't have all of the ingredients, but I think it turned out well. I have some berry sauce to go with it." She shot up and brought a small plastic container. Carefully, she dribbled the sauce on each person's cake. "This was completely on my own. No recipe."

"Fuck me," Emmett moaned.

"Sorry, Emmett. I'm with your brother," Bella giggled, sitting on the floor in front of me and delicately eating her cake. "I don't think he seems like he would share."

"That would be a no," Emmett laughed.

"You were younger and broke all my shit," I scoffed. "I liked my toys intact, thank you very much."

"I could not imagine Edward as a kid," Alice mused. "You are so …"

"I've got a stick up my ass," I deadpanned. Alice blushed and nodded. "Not much has changed since I was a kid. I was _intense_ even as a youngster."

"Broody son of a bitch," Emmett chortled. "But, it's what makes you a good boss. Not to mention, you're meticulous and fastidious."

"I'm tidy," I countered.

"Baby, you're a neat freak, but it's all good," Bella said, beaming back to me. I wrinkled my nose, pulling her into my lap. "Edward!"

"I wouldn't mind dribbling this sauce all over your sexy body," I whispered in her ear, "and licking it all up."

"Oh, shit," she breathed. "That's not so neat-freakish."

"You game, _mia dolce?_ " I asked, my fingers sliding underneath her pale blue cashmere sweater. "After they all leave? I'll feast on you on the kitchen counter?"

"Quit trying to seduce your fiancée, Edward," Alice said. "She looks like she's about to rip off her clothes right now."

"I wouldn't mind," Emmett chortled. Alice hit him upside the head. "Hey!"

"You're still married, bucko. Notice my husband didn't say anything inappropriate," Alice said, slowly and calmly, as if talking to a child.

"That's because I'd know that Edward shoot off my balls," Jasper said calmly, sipping his coffee.

"Damn straight," I laughed.

 **BPOV**

Everyone left a little after eleven at night. Edward and I were working the kitchen, finishing loading up the dish washer and putting the desserts away. He had been fun, flirty and completely at ease. I'd never seen him so relaxed, teasing with his brother, bantering with Billy and being a complete and total perv with me.

Though, his kitchen idea had merit.

But, I'd rather dribble the berry sauce on him and not the other way around. _Just saying._

"Tonight, was so fun, _dolce_ ," Edward said quietly, wiping down the wine glasses. "I needed this. I'd been working my ass off, trying to …"

"I know, Edward. That's why when Alice sent me a text that she was off, I decided to pull this all together. We needed to decompress. With the drama with Rose, the stress of your stuff at work, and never-ending _angst_ of what's going on with your family? We needed to have some fun. I was going to invite your parents, but I wanted it to be just us."

"You let Billy in," Edward snickered. "He's my parents' age."

"Jacob wanted me to meet him and he was feeling guilty about not spending time with his dad. Besides, Billy has the attitude of us young'uns. He reminds, a bit, of my dad with his mannerisms and stories," I said, smiling wistfully. "Probably even more so than Uncle Jimmy."

"How old is Uncle Jimmy? He can't be more than forty, forty-five?" Edward asked.

"He just turned forty-six. Jimmy was an oops baby," I snickered. "My grandparents thought they were done with having children. My grandmother thought she was going through the change of life when she discovered she was pregnant with Jimmy. There was about fifteen years between Jimmy and my dad. But, despite their age difference, they were close. I think that's why I'm close to Uncle Jimmy now. He was the cool, hip uncle. Not a disciplinarian or anything. It was probably good that I was almost grown when my dad died. He didn't have to do much parenting."

"He was your legal guardian? What about your mom? I know she's still alive," Edward said.

"When they got divorced, I wanted to live with my dad. My mom is a flighty bitch, who's spoiled, entitled and mean. I would see her on the court-appointed required days, but not much other than that. When my dad died, in his will, he stipulated that Jimmy be my legal guardian. Mom fought us on that, but seeing that Jimmy, despite him being not much older than you are right now, had a stable home and consistent income, whereas my mom lived in a motel room and was in between jobs. He was granted custody and he raised holy hell in stopping the visitations with my mom. He won on that count, too," I chuckled darkly.

"He loves you very much, Bella. He hates that you are struggling, or were struggling and wished he could have done more," Edward said, pulling me into his arms. "You're lucky to have him in your life."

"I am. I love him, too. I don't tell him enough, but I do love him," I said, leaning my cheek against Edward's chest. "Are you upset with me because I haven't said that I loved you back?"

"That was a tangent jump," Edward chuckled.

"No, you say that you loved me and I haven't really responded," I said, jumping up on the counter so I could look into his eyes. He arched a brow, but his eyes were questioning. "I talked about this with Jake today. This," I pointed to my chest, "is ready. It trusts you and knows that you'd never intentionally hurt me. But this," I gestured to my head, "is not quite on board yet. I feel something, _something_ strong for you. I wouldn't have said yes to your beautiful proposal if I hadn't. But, my brain and my heart need to meet somewhere in the middle. Does that make sense?"

"You sound like me," he said thoughtfully. "And I get it. I can sense a disconnect between all of this." He gestured to my whole body. "I can see how much you desire me and on a subconscious level, you've admitted your love for me."

"I have?"

"I heard it the first time when I came back from the _business_ I had to attend to after the ball. I never thought I'd be in love, Bella. I always perceived it as a weakness," he explained. "Now? My love for you, I feel is a strength. And by the time we're both on the same page, it will be so powerful. I love you, Bella. I don't see this engagement, marriage or relationship as a means to an end anymore. I see us having a future. I want to make love to you, see you grow round with our children and see those children grow up, happy, healthy and loved. I don't want a year, or ten years or … I want forever." He shrugged, looking shy and unsure. "If you don't want that, then I'll still abide by our deal. I'll pay for your schooling and provide you with protection …"

I pressed my hand to his lips, pulling him to me and kissing him tenderly, sweetly. "Edward, I see that, too." His responding grin was so beautiful. "I just need some more time to wrap my head around all of this."

"Okay, _dolce_ ," he said. "I can respect that."

"But, about that sauce/kitchen/feasting thing?" I quipped, grinning seductively.

 **A/N: I had every intention of getting to Christmas, but this chapter changed its flow with the impromptu dinner party. So, we'll pick up with the delectable little lime involving sauce and Edward's tongue. This will be in Bella's POV, so you can get into her head.**

 **Now, what do you think should happen about Rosalie? Can she be redeemed? Should Emmett _trust_ her (and by trust, pretend to be married to her)? Or should he go through with the divorce? Leave me your thoughts. **

**Up next will be the continuation of this lime/lemon, Christmas and some more discussions. Leave me some loving. Thank you so much for reading! Mad love for all of you!**


	9. Chapter 9

**So, none of this is mine. I wrote the first chapter for a contest and now, I'm expanding it. What I own … a condo and too many books. What I don't … _Twilight_ and all its characters. **

**Now, what do you think should happen about Rosalie? Can she be redeemed? Should Emmett _trust_ her (and by trust, pretend to be married to her)? Or should he go through with the divorce? Leave me your thoughts. **

**Up next will be the continuation of this lime/lemon, Christmas and some more discussions.**

 **Chapter Nine**

 **BPOV**

 _"Are you upset with me because I haven't said that I loved you back?"_

 _"That was a tangent jump," Edward chuckled._

 _"No, you say that you loved me and I haven't really responded," I said, jumping up on the counter so I could look into his eyes. He arched a brow, but his eyes were questioning. "I talked about this with Jake today. This," I pointed to my chest, "is ready. It trusts you and knows that you'd never intentionally hurt me. But this," I gestured to my head, "is not quite on board yet. I feel something, something strong for you. I wouldn't have said yes to your beautiful proposal if I hadn't. But, my brain and my heart need to meet somewhere in the middle. Does that make sense?"_

 _"You sound like me," he said thoughtfully. "And I get it. I can sense a disconnect between all of this." He gestured to my whole body. "I can see how much you desire me and on a subconscious level, you've admitted your love for me."_

 _"I have?"_

 _"I heard it the first time when I came back from the business I had to attend to after the ball. I never thought I'd be in love, Bella. I always perceived it as a weakness," he explained. "Now? My love for you, I feel is a strength. And by the time we're both on the same page, it will be so powerful. I love you, Bella. I don't see this engagement, marriage or relationship as a means to an end anymore. I see us having a future. I want to make love to you, see you grow round with our children and see those children grow up, happy, healthy and loved. I don't want a year, or ten years or … I want forever." He shrugged, looking shy and unsure. "If you don't want that, then I'll still abide by our deal. I'll pay for your schooling and provide you with protection …"_

 _I pressed my hand to his lips, pulling him to me and kissing him tenderly, sweetly. "Edward, I see that, too." His responding grin was so beautiful. "I just need some more time to wrap my head around all of this."_

 _"Okay,_ dolce _," he said. "I can respect that."_

 _"But, about that sauce/kitchen/feasting thing?" I quipped, grinning seductively._

Edward's response was a searing kiss to my lips. His tongue plunged into my mouth and his hands dragged me closer to his body. Slowly, his palms moved up my sides, sliding underneath my sweater. Pulling his mouth away from mine, he tugged off my sweater and tossed it haphazardly behind him. He looked at me, his eyes nearly black with desire. "So fucking beautiful," he growled, crashing his mouth against mine.

"Edward," I breathed against his lips. He smiled, cupping his hands on my breasts, teasing and twisting my nipples through my lacy bra. With a grunt, my bra was torn from my body and he wrapped his mouth around my tit, licking it fervently. "Fuck …"

He blinked up, looking at me through his eyelashes, flicking my nipple with his tongue. With his palm, he leaned me back on the kitchen counter. His other hand was cupping my other breast. I watched him devour my body and I could feel my panties become drenched. "Lay back, _cara_ ," he said, his voice filled with sex and all things dirty. I did and he unbuttoned my dark gray corduroy pants. He slid them down my legs, along with my panties. He growled as he gently pushed me back, spreading my legs apart. "I'm going to have fun with this, Bella. Your naked body is a perfect canvas for me to create my masterpiece." He removed his sweater, picking up the whipped cream. "Keep your legs apart, baby. I like being able to see your pussy."

"Are you going to lick it?" I said, arching a brow.

"Oh, definitely, love," he growled, using his fingers to put the whipped cream on my belly. It was cold and I yelped. Edward just smirked, using my naked body as his canvas. He swirled his fingers over my breasts, creating a whipped cream bra. He dabbled some of the whipped cream just above my mound and turned to the berry sauce. He dribbled it along my hips. I felt it move down the crease of my legs and into my sex. I whimpered as Edward created what he wanted on me. "Do you trust me, Bella?"

"Yes," I whispered.

"I want to remember this." He took out his cell phone and arched a brow.

"No one will see this?" I asked.

"Just you and me, Bella," he promised, standing between my legs. "Keep them spread." I blushed and nodded. I closed my eyes and felt his fingers on my thigh. There was a soft click and he had taken his picture. "I'll show you how gorgeous you are, all spread for me. But after I finish what I've started. I have a pussy to devour." He crawled onto the counter, kissing me forcefully. His mouth didn't stay on mine for long because he licked off the whipped cream and berry sauce off my breasts.

"Yes," I gasped as bit down on my nipple. "Like that, baby."

He growled lowly, kissing down my belly and spreading my legs further. He sucked off all the whipped cream and sauce before staring at my now leaking pussy. He gave me a carnal grin, lifting me off the edge of the counter and dragging his tongue along my slit. I moaned, slapping my hands down onto the Carrera marble. He kept his eyes on me, closing his mouth around my clit. He sucked on it, flicking it with his tongue. His fingers moved along my back, holding my ass. I bit my lip, lost in the feelings of his mouth on me. Gently, he eased me back onto the counter and crouched down. I sat up, still watching him. "You are a little voyeur, _dolce_ ," he purred, placing open mouthed kisses along my thighs.

"I love your mouth on me," I whispered. "I want to watch you as you eat my pussy."

"What more do you want?" he asked, his lips moist with my juices and the remnants of the berry sauce. "Do you want my fingers? My cock?" His fingers grazed along my folds and I gasped. He smirked, easing two fingers inside me. "You are soaked, Bella. I can just imagine filling you with my cock and making you come with it."

"Hmmm," I purred, snaking my hand to my clit and rolling it with my fingers. Edward growled, his eyes moving to where both of us where touching. I could feel my wetness, spreading it over my clit and rocking with Edward's hand. "Your fingers inside me … so fucking good."

"I love you dirty mouth, Bella," he growled. "I never thought I'd meet a woman … someone who enjoyed …" He curled his fingers in me.

"Someone who could talk dirty and appreciated it?" I asked, removing my hand from my clit. I slid my fingers into my mouth, coating them with my saliva. I put my hand back between my legs, rubbing my nub furiously.

"Fuck me," he breathed, moving my hand out of the way and sucking my clit into his mouth. His pinky grazed my ass and I gasped, holding my knee to my chest, spreading my legs further for him. He growled deeply, biting down on my sex. I whimpered, feeling my orgasm build within me. I pinched my breasts, rocking against his face and watching his fingers disappear in me. He watched me, sucking on my pussy and bringing me closer and closer to my release. "Let go, love," he hissed against my skin. He rubbed his hand on my folds, holding it up. It was soaked. I grabbed at his hand, sucking his fingers into my mouth. He growled, sliding his tongue into my pussy.

"So, good … More," I begged around his fingers. I pushed his hand back between my legs and he slammed three fingers inside, pounding them into me. The sound of my juices sloshing around his hand was the only sound in the kitchen, save for my keening whimpers. My body clenched and my orgasm exploded. Edward kept his mouth on me as waves of pleasure crashed over me. I collapsed on the counter, panting and boneless.

Edward stood up, grinning like a cat who got the cream. I sat up, reaching for his buckle, but he shook his head. "Baby," I frowned. "You … I want to."

"Delayed gratification, love," he said, picking me up and carrying me out of the kitchen. The counter was covered in whipped cream, the berry sauce and remnants of my orgasm. The tang of sex filled the air. "I may have licked most of the goodness from your body, you're still sticky." He glided through the condo into our bathroom. He turned on the shower. "Clean up, _dolce._ "

"Will you join me?" I asked, arching a brow.

"After I clean up the kitchen, but I will join you and this will be continued," he said, brushing his lips against mine.

"And no leaving on the boxer briefs?" I snickered. "You had your taste. I want mine." He gave me a crooked smirk, kissing me again before helping me into the shower. He darted out of the bathroom and I slid under the shower, letting the water wash away the stickiness from my body. I was rinsing the shampoo from my hair when I felt Edward's body against me. I turned around, looking up at his verdant eyes. I ran my fingers down his muscled torso. "Everything's clean?"

"In more ways than one," he said, kissing me again. Our mouths moved feverishly against each other. My hand slid down his belly until I felt his hardness, unhindered by boxer briefs. He smirked and I pulled back. I was anxious to _finally_ get my taste. I slid to my knees, looking at his cock.

He. Was. Huge.

Licking my lips and locking my eyes on him, I ran my tongue along the length of his shaft. He leaned against the tiles and watched me, his mouth hanging open. I cupped his hardness, plunging my mouth around him and sucking deeply. He ran his finger along my cheek, but I could tell he wanted more. I released him, pumping him. "I know what you want. I'm not made of glass."

"I don't want you to think …" he said, his eyes swirling with emotion. "As good as it feels, I don't want you to think that I want to fuck your mouth."

"No, fuck my mouth," I said, arching a brow. He looked torn. I took him back in my mouth, bobbing and tasting his soft, but rock hardness. I closed my eyes, rolling his balls with my fingers and he gathered my wet hair into a ponytail. I looked up at him and nodding. He moved his hips, sliding inside of my mouth. I relaxed my jaw, allowing him easier access. I gripped his hips, feeling him move between my lips. _If only it was my other set of lips …_ I bobbed in concert with his movements. He grunted when he hit the back of my throat. Thank goodness, I didn't have much of a gag reflex.

"Bella," he panted. "Fuck, seeing you with my cock in your mouth." I hummed, moving my hand from his hips to the base of his shaft. He growled when my wrist twisted, adding another sensation to the blowjob I was giving him. Fondling his balls, I swallowed around him and he stopped thrusting. I swirled my tongue around the sensitive head and nibbled on the underside of his shaft. "Baby, your mouth feels so fucking good. I'm going to come."

"Good," I purred, plunging my mouth around him and sucking him with renewed fervor. His head fell back with his fingers tangled in my hair. He babbled, panting heavily and I felt his cock swell inside my mouth. I pumped my hand and hummed as his release coated inside my mouth. I swallowed, tasting his sweet, but salty cum. I kept my mouth on him, cleaning him and releasing him with a pop. I stood up, wiping my lips demurely. Edward caged me, glaring at me and kissing me, his tongue sweeping in my mouth. I moaned, massaging his back and melting against him. We made out for a few moments before he broke apart from me. "Did you enjoy that, baby?"

"You have no idea, _dolce,_ " he said, cupping my neck and staring into my eyes. He kissed my mouth sweetly. "You are a minx."

"And you taste better than the berry sauce," I giggled. He smirked, quickly going through his shower routine. I massaged his back and stared at his mighty fine behind. It was so tight, you could bounce quarters off it.

"You staring at my ass?" he quipped, making the muscles bounce.

"Ooooh, do that again," I giggled, placing my hands on his butt cheeks. He did, snickering. "If the whole mafia don thing doesn't work out. You could become a male stripper. Magic Mike ain't got nothing on you, Edward."

"You're hysterical, Bella," Edward deadpanned, turning off the shower. He handed me a towel, wrapping another one around his waist. He helped blow dry my hair and he pressed soft kisses to my neck, shoulders and every inch of available skin. When my hair was dry and shiny, Edward tugged me toward our bedroom. "Thank you for tonight."

"For dinner or the BJ?" I quipped.

"Hmmm, both," he said. I smacked his chest and he tugged off my towel. I arched a brow. "I can't get enough of your soft skin, Bella." I got into bed and he slid on a pair of boxer briefs. I made a face, pointing to his Calvins. "If I stayed naked, I'd want to make love to you. I desperately want to, but are you ready?"

"Not quite, but, you deny me your ass," I pouted. He laughed, getting into the bed and holding me tightly.

"In all seriousness, I do appreciate what you did today. I can't remember having that much fun. Even with all of the stress of our lives, I was able to smile, relax and be with my family," he said, his voice reverent. "It further goes to show that you're meant to be with me. To share my life with me." He kissed me, caressing my cheek. "I love you, Bella. Thank you for giving joy and lightness to my dark life."

Tears gathered in my eyes and I kissed him, tenderly, three times on the mouth. I slid my arms around his neck, sighing contentedly. "Thank you for just being you, baby." _I love you, too._

 **EPOV**

"Is there anything else?" I asked, looking at the stuffed back of the SUV. We had so many Christmas presents for our family. It was the most I'd ever seen. I bought my family a few gifts, but never this much. But, this was mainly Bella's doing. Hell, I knew that she was going to be spoiled by my family since it was her first Christmas with us as a family.

"Did you get the food from the fridge?" Bella asked, looking at the rear of the SUV. She shot me a scowl, seeing that the antipasto tray and buckets of cookies were not in the car.

"I'll get it," Jacob said. "You armed, Boss?"

"Always, Jake," I said, patting my holster that was hidden underneath my overcoat. Bella was fussing over the presents and our overnight bags. _"Dolce_ , baby, you're making me nervous. Why don't you go into the car and relax?"

"I want to make sure that everything's perfect," she whispered, biting her lip. I tugged on her hand, pulling her into my arms. I blinked around the garage before brushing my lips over hers. She sighed, her fingers massaging my chest. "You can't distract me with those lips, Cullen."

"Is it working?" I snickered, guiding her to the backseat and helping inside. She made a face, but she smiled beautifully at me when I trailed my fingers down her cheek and kissed her hand. "Everything will be perfect, Bella."

"Okay," she said, tightening her burgundy coat and adjusting the cream scarf around her neck. "It's been so long since I enjoyed a holiday."

"And this will be an unforgettable, special and beautiful holiday, Bella," I said. I kissed her lips before closing the door. Jake was coming back with the trays and plastic containers stuffed with homemade cookies. We put them in the back, closing the hatchback. I clambered into the back, sending a text to my parents.

"I've never been to midnight mass," Bella said, her eyes wistful. "We were considered 'holiday' church-goers. And that was rare, if we did go."

"Where?" I asked.

"When we did go, we went to St. Michael's," Bella replied. "My dad was far more religious than either me or Uncle Jimmy. I believe in God, but I didn't need to go to church in order to follow it." She blinked over to me. "Do you hate me, yet?"

"Never," I snickered. "I'm like you. My father is very religious, despite his occupation and we were raised in the church. I was even an altar boy." Bella giggled. "I hated it. I would fall asleep during the service and start snoring. Emmett would have to elbow me to keep me awake."

We shared funny church stories and I told her about the midnight mass experience. She was excited about going, even if it meant that we'd possibly come face-to-face with Uncle Stephan, Marcus Volturi and possibly, Royce King. It had been a few years since we'd seen him, but in the past, he had attended mass at Pompeii since his wife – and I use this term loosely – is a parishioner.

Pulling up to my parents' home, Jasper helped Jacob unload the back of the SUV. Bella was swept into my mother's arms, with more conversation about our wedding. She shot me a look, pleading for saving, but I just waved at her. She flipped me off as Mom tugged her into the kitchen.

I went back out, moving all of the presents to the massive tree in the living room. I took a peek, seeing that most of the gifts were for Bella and shockingly, Uncle Jimmy. I smiled softly, seeing a gift to my parents from Bella and me. I'd never been a part of a unit. It was weird, but it made me proud to be one half of 'Bella and Edward.' I heard a rustle and I saw Emmett come in, carrying a basket of presents. "Hey, little bro," I said. "How are you doing?"

"I'm here," he snorted, giving me a look. "Have you seen Dad?"

"Nah, just got here," I answered. "Is Rosalie with you?" Emmett's face hardened and he nodded. "What is it?"

"Rose was being extra bitchy. She refused to get Bella any Christmas presents," he said, rolling his eyes. "I went out and got her presents and she had a shit fit, thinking that I was cheating on her with Bella. She called her some awful names, Edward."

"What did you say?" I asked, arching a brow.

"I told her that she was out of line and that Bella was your fiancée and that she needed to respect her. I also went into how good Bella was, her sweet heart, her loving ways and how she grounds you," Emmett said. "Rose just scoffed and said that I was fucking her. I almost lost it, Ed. I almost said that it would be justifiable since she fucked Royce. I would never do that to you, though."

"I know, Emmett," I sighed, scrubbing my face. "Let me drop off my bag in my room and then we can discuss plans with Dad. She's getting worse."

"She won't say anything to you. I told her that if she said anything today, I'd have the locks changed and her shit thrown into the lake, regardless of what you all say," Emmett snorted.

"I don't blame you, Emmett," I said, picking up the overnight bag and darting upstairs. I shrugged out of my overcoat and smoothed my maroon sweater. I checked my holster around my ankle, removing my hidden gun and went back downstairs. I could hear Mom prattle on in the kitchen with Bella, Alice and Rosalie. I went into the kitchen, kissing my mom's cheek and hugging Alice. Rosalie was coldly polite, giving me a stiff hug. However, she was ignoring Bella, with her back toward my fiancée. "I'm going to talk to my father. Are you okay, _dolce_?"

"I'm fine," she smiled, kissing me sweetly. "Good luck."

"Thanks, baby," I smiled. "Love you." She hummed, kissing me again and smiling as I went into my father's office. Inside, I saw Emmett, Carlisle, Seth and Jenks, the attorney, was teleconferenced in on the computer. "Long time, no see, Seth!"

"I know, Boss," he chuckled. "With you not working, I've been hanging out in the Fortress with Jacob."

"You going to see your family?" I asked.

"After this meeting. With Felix, Jasper and Jacob here, I can spend the holidays with my mom and sister," he said, grinning widely. "Even though Leah doesn't really understand time, she enjoys the lights on the trees and opening presents. I got her a stuffed cat for Christmas. She likes the feel of the fur."

"The sooner we finish this meeting, the quicker you can give Leah her present," Carlisle said, gesturing to the leather sofas in his office. "Now, I know that you are stuck between a rock and a hard place, Emmett. We're asking you to do so much with your relationship with Rose."

"Damn straight. I've called the PIs that Jenks had trailing her, but they won't talk to me," Emmett grumbled.

"That's because I ordered them not to, Emmett," Jenks chimed in from his spot on the computer. "I was working on compiling my findings for you and for everyone. Carlisle, you have the file."

My father handed me and Emmett a thick file. I read the report, which had nothing of note recently because Rosalie was probably scooting under the radar, but what shocked me was information from the moment Emmett and Rose got married. "You never trusted her?" I asked.

"Not in the slightest," Carlisle said, his voice eerily calm.

Emmett was looking at the pictures, showing his wife with over twenty different men doing all sorts of lewd, atrocious and sexual things. The most shocking was a picture of her with three men, filling her _completely._ Two of the men were known to us – Royce King and his lieutenant, Leo. The third guy was hidden, only his cock in view, in Rosalie's mouth. It looked like a porno, but it wasn't. It was my sister-in-law, fucking her way to the top.

Emmett slammed the file folder, standing up and stomping over to the window, his body tense and coiled like a spring. My heart broke for my brother. Sliding my eyes to back to my father, I arched a brow. "So, where do we go from here?"

"One of two ways," Carlisle said. "Emmett could divorce her and send her packing, hoping that Royce would pick up the dregs."

"Whore," Emmett sneered. "That's my vote."

"What's the second option?" Jasper asked.

"Emmett stays with her, truly with her, and pumps her for information," Carlisle said, his face indicating that was his vote. Emmett obviously didn't like that and he roared, punching his hand through the window. We all jumped up. I ran to him, catching him before he did more damage. His hand was torn to shreds, bleeding and covered with shards of glass. Seth came with a towel, wrapping Emmett's hand in it and trying to stop the bleeding.

"Get your wife," I snapped to Jasper. He darted out of the office, returning with Alice and her ever-present black doctor bag. Alice saw the pictures on the table, growling slightly. She walked over to us. She removed the towel, grumbling. "What?"

"This may require more than just a patch job," she said. Emmett was stoic, staring out the broken window. "We'll have to go down to the clinic. Emmett, can you come with me?" He didn't make a move to leave. I slid my arm around his shoulder and guided him out of the office. Alice was behind us. We went downstairs to a fully functioning clinic, complete with an x-ray machine and surgical suite. Alice pointed to the surgical suite and I helped Emmett onto the table. Alice changed into a pair of scrubs, her hair pulled back and a tray of necessary supplies. "Do you want Edward to stay, Em?"

He nodded, looking at me. His eyes were broken. His soul was shattered. The woman he loved betrayed him and my father wanted him to stay with that whore. Alice moved me out the way, removing the bloody towel. She grumbled, removing the larger shards of glass.

"You could end it, Emmett," I whispered. "You don't have to take Dad's suggestion."

"I can't stand to look at her," he choked out. "And seeing those photos? It's sickening. None of those guys were using condoms, Ed."

Alice growled again. "I can test you," she barked. "No, I will test you, Emmett."

"What if she …?" Emmett whispered.

"Another reason to end it," I said, my eyes narrowed.

"Let me first address the hand injury. I hope you didn't do any nerve damage," Alice said. "Then, I'll run a full panel. You will need to leave for that, Edward. I'm certain you don't want to see a cotton swab shoved up your brother's dick."

"Fuck me," we both whimpered. I cupped my family jewels and Emmett shifted uncomfortably. I stayed in the clinic with Emmett until his hand was stitched up and wrapped with gauze. Alice said she'd have one of her colleagues check him out to assess for nerve damage once the stitches were removed.

When Alice commanded Emmet to drop his pants, I went back upstairs. Jasper was gone and my father was speaking with Seth. I noticed the window was covered with a piece of plywood and the broken glass was swept up. "Where's Jasper?" I asked.

"He's going over to Jenks' office," Carlisle answered. "He's picking up Emmett's divorce papers."

"You're not going to force him to stay with that slut?" I asked. He shook his head. "Good. It's going to be hard for me to look at her and not want to punch her in her face."

"I'm going over to Emmett's condo and working with Felix, we're going to clear out Rosalie's belongings," Seth said, an evil grin spreading over his face.

"And where are you going to put those belongings?" I snorted.

"In Royce's front yard," Carlisle smirked. "I'm sorry about keeping you from your family."

"It's something I wanted to do when I first saw Rosalie in that dingy motel with Royce," Seth growled.

"When are you going to present her with the paperwork?" I asked.

"That's up to Emmett, but she won't be going home with him after Christmas. He'll have to play the role tonight, tomorrow, but tomorrow evening, we'll be rid of the baggage," Carlisle said, waggling his brows. "Do you want to handle that?"

Emmett returned, his face pale, but determined. "I'm handling it. She's my responsibility. I'm just going to drop off in the middle of nowhere."

"What's the plan?" I asked.

"I'm going to say that I arranged for us to go away until the new year. So, we could _reconnect_ ," Emmett said. "Then, about halfway to Rockford, I'm going to 'fill up the gas tank' and leave her in some Podunk town. While Alice was stitching up my hand, I canceled her credit cards. I also changed my credit cards, as well, so she can't reopen them in her name." He looked sad and sick. I hugged my brother and he gingerly patted my back. "I'm okay, Edward. I'll be okay once I'm done with her."

"But, you have to keep her in the dark until after Christmas. Esme would have my ass if we ruined Bella's first Christmas with us," Carlisle said, his eyes wide.

"I would have your ass if you ruined Bella's first real Christmas since her father's death," I snarled. "Now, let's enjoy the holiday. It wouldn't be a holiday without family drama."

"Ain't that the truth," Emmett deadpanned. He blinked over to Seth. "Cut that bitch out of my life, Seth."

"With pleasure, Em," Seth smirked, leaving the house with a spring in his step.

 **BPOV**

Dinner was served late and the air was tense, filled with a very phony sense of family. I also noticed Emmett's right hand was bandaged and he was sitting uncomfortably next to Rose. She was flirty with him, touching his arm and kissing his cheek. With each caress, he grew more and more upset. I looked at Edward, but he shook his head.

After dinner, the plates were cleared and done by some workers that Esme hired. However, shortly after dinner, we had to head to Pompeii Shrine near the University of Illinois-Chicago campus. We took separate cars, but I noticed that Emmett and Rose were going to ride with Carlisle and Esme. Edward drove us, but Alice and Jasper were behind us. In the car, I arched a brow. "Something happened, Edward. Dinner was …"

"Miserable, I know," he frowned.

"I wouldn't say miserable," I snorted.

"It was like a car wreck. You just couldn't turn away," he sighed, running his hand through his hair. He shuddered, wrinkling his nose.

"Do I want to know?" I asked.

"I'll tell you after church, Bella," he said. "I feel … it's wrong for you to have those pictures in your head before we go praise God. Besides, we need to be on our guard. We'll probably see my uncle and several other frenemies at the service." He blinked over to me. "You have your weapon?"

"In my purse," I answered. "You'd fire a gun in a church?" He gave me a wry look, clearly telling me that I was full of shit. I just shrugged. "I don't know. It's weird to know that I have a gun in my purse. That you have one under your coat."

"And around my ankle," he said. "I have to protect my family." He reached across the console, twining our fingers together. "I have to protect you, _dolce._ I love you and … I want to keep you." We stopped at a stoplight. He looked over at me and there was fear, determination and love swirling in his evergreen eyes. My heart jumped, seeing the depth of his emotion in that one single look. He picked up my hand, kissing my knuckles and giving me a soft, but beautiful crooked grin. I returned his smile, wanting to tell him that I loved him, too.

It was unconscious or subconscious or whatever. It was by choice. I was all in and I wasn't going to let my fears dictate how I felt. I knew that Edward was going to be a mob leader, but I could see he had integrity, sincerity and loved fiercely. He would do anything to protect his family, shelter them from pain. He was doing that with Emmett, it would seem, too.

Edward parked the car in the lot near the church. Jasper was at my door, helping me out of the car and gave me a warm smile. Edward walked to me, looping my arm through his and Jasper did the same with Alice. Emmett was hovering near Rosalie, but he wasn't acting like Jasper, Edward or even Carlisle, who were hovering and concerned about their significant others. Rosalie was clearly pissed, pushing her arm through Emmett's and giving him a glare. He removed his arm, going to stand next to his mother. Rosalie went to open her mouth, but Edward moved as fast as a viper.

"Don't. Even," he snarled, quiet and deadly. "We're in public. We're a respected family in this community. Don't make a scene. Would you be that selfish?" She paled and shook her head. He guided her, his hand on the small of her back. We went into the sanctuary and sat near the front of the church. I was in between Edward and Esme. Rosalie was next to Edward and Emmett was on her other side, clearly disgruntled. Jasper and Alice were behind us, with Jacob and Billy next to them.

Edward stiffened, his eyes narrowing as a tall, dark-haired man walked up the center aisle. He was graceful and handsome, looking a little bit like Carlisle, but with a darker complexion. He was handsome, clearly and he strode into the church like he owned the place. Carlisle stood up, shaking the man's hand before kissing his cheeks. He blinked at me and in his eyes, I didn't see any emotion. He smiled at me, but it didn't reach his entire face. "And who is this?" he asked.

"Stephan, may I introduce Edward's fiancée, Isabella," Carlisle said. I stood up and shook his hand. If Esme hadn't been next to me, he looked like he was going to hug me, or drag me away.

"Fiancée?" Stephan asked, arching a brow. "You decided to stop fucking around, boy?"

"Language," Esme hissed. "We're in a house of God, on Christmas EVE."

"My apologies, Esme," Stephan said snidely. He blinked to me. "You may want to get tested after you fuck him, little one. He needs a muzzle."

"It would seem that you do," I said sharply. I turned and sat down, feeling my cheeks flame. Edward slid his arm around me.

"Do you know who I am?" Stephan snapped.

"She does and she doesn't think highly of you, Uncle," Edward said in a snarky tone. "Merry Christmas."

I didn't see Stephan move, but from the corner of my eye, I saw Carlisle sit down and he reached across his wife, squeezing my hand. I gave him a tiny smile. Edward kissed my temple, whispering how proud he was of me. Rosalie was complaining to Emmett about the double standard, how my insolence was tolerated and welcomed, but hers was punished. Emmett just told Rosalie to shut up and we waited for the service to begin.

Shortly before midnight, a chorus began singing and I listened to the beautiful music, remembering the familiar tunes. Edward sang along quietly, in a resonant baritone. He looked at me, a smile gracing his handsome features, but it was stressed. I twined my fingers with his and leaned against his shoulder.

The music changed and we stood up as the processional began. The congregation sang along with the choir and the mass began in earnest. Edward was anxious, looking around and narrowing his eyes on a few people. "What?" I asked.

"Royce King and his wife are here, along with Marcus and Didyme," he whispered to me. "We'll have to meet with them. And you'll probably have to be introduced to Uncle Stephan's wife, Maria."

"I'll still be introduced even though I mouthed off to him?" I hissed. Edward nodded. "What do I call him? Uncle Stephan? Mr. Cullen?"

"He's not a Cullen. It's a part of the shame of being born as a bastard," he explained. "His last name is Romani, the same as his mother. She tried to put my grandfather's name on the birth certificate, but he denied any paternity."

"Shhhhh!" Carlisle chastised.

We both blushed and Edward twined our fingers together. We paid attention to the service, lost in the magic of midnight mass. It had been a long time since I'd been to church and a few things had changed, but I went along. Before I stopped going to church, I was a practicing Catholic, so I knew the basics of the mass. When it was done, we stood up and waited for the church to empty before we left.

Uncle Stephan approached us with a middle-aged, but beautiful woman. She was introduced as Maria. Esme hugged her, giving her a warm smile. Stephan kissed her cheek and he turned to Emmett and Rosalie. He looked at Rosalie, arching a brow. "You pregnant yet? You look pale."

"She's getting over the flu," Emmett lied. "But, we're trying." He slid his arm around her waist, but I could tell that it sickened Emmett.

"And you're not marrying Edward because he's going to be The Boss, are you, little one?" Stephan asked me derisively.

I jutted out my chin and glowering at him. "I'm marrying Edward because I love him." Edward gasped and I could his hand tighten around mine. I looked at him and his smile was beautiful. "He's everything I ever wanted in a man and I'm proud to be his fiancée, and soon, his wife."

"Have you decided on a date?" Esme asked, practically vibrating in her skin.

Edward and I shared a smile and I nodded. "We have. We're leaning toward the end of August, beginning of September of this year. It's just before school starts back for me."

"You're a student?" Stephan scoffed.

"Graduate student," I snapped. "Psychology."

"I was hoping for a spring wedding," Esme pouted, but she brightened. "But, the color schemes in the fall are beautiful, too."

"We also figured that out, too," Edward chuckled. "Burgundy, gold and a touch of navy."

"Very elegant," Carlisle said.

"What's elegant?" asked a blonde man with a woman who was easily half his age. She wasn't dressed appropriately for church, wearing a short dress and sky-high heels.

"My oldest son is getting married and they're telling us about the date," Carlisle answered, giving a tight smile to the man. "Royce King, this is my soon-to-be daughter-in-law, Isabella Swan."

Royce approached me, taking my hand and kissing my knuckles. His lips were slimy and he reminded me of a snake. "You are beautiful, Isabella. It's a shame you're marrying Edward. He's so old." I removed my hand from his and snuggled closer to him. "You need to know your place, girl."

"Now is not the time to teach manners, Royce," Edward said, his voice icy. "And you're older than me, plus you were being creepy. Hands off my fiancée." Royce gave him an evil smile, looking more like a grimace. "I'm the lucky one, though. She's the light in my life." He cupped my chin and caressed my cheek. He kissed me tenderly, holding me flush to his body.

"Isabella, you will have to let me help you plan your wedding," Maria said, a genuine smile on her face. I blushed, nodding noncommittally. "Edward, I'm so happy for you." Maria kissed his cheek. Stephan growled and her smile fell, moving back next to him with her head bowed.

"We should get going. We're having some of Bella's family over for Christmas and they're arriving early," Carlisle said.

"Yes, how is your Uncle Jimmy?" Royce asked, a malicious grin spreading over his too-tanned face. "Work steady at the Swan Dive?"

I gulped, glaring at Royce. Arching a brow and smirking, "Never better. You should go in. Tell him that Bella sent you and he'll give you the special," I said. My heart was stammering against my ribs. _How did he know about Uncle Jimmy?_

"Come, _cara_ ," Edward said lowly. "Merry Christmas. I hope you have a wonderful holiday with your families."

"We should join you," Stephan said, pursing his lips. "But, I didn't get an invite from my beloved little brother."

"You would have if you had picked up your phone," Carlisle said curtly. "Now, it's late and the crowd is gone. Merry Christmas, brother."

He took Esme's hand, leading her down the center aisle. Edward followed him and we made our way out of the church, stopping briefly to thank the priest and give the church a personal gift to him from the family. We walked quickly to our cars. I noticed that Jacob and Billy were already in our car. Edward helped me into the backseat, barely growling out, "Get us the fuck out of here."

"Yes, Boss," he snapped.

 **EPOV**

That was bad. That was very, very bad.

But, very good, too.

They laid down their cards and revealed a lot in that conversation, but in the process terrified Bella. They knew about Uncle Jimmy. My fiancée was rigid next to me and tears were streaming down her face.

"You're safe, _dolce_ ," I said soothingly.

"Jimmy," she stuttered.

"Felix and Demetri are watching him tonight, sweetie," Billy said quietly from the front seat. Bella looked up and sniffled. "You think I'm just an old man in a wheel chair?"

"He's the head of our security," I said. "He makes sure that all of us are protected. He has an army of highly trained soldiers that will protect us, Bella. Protect you. Protect Jimmy."

"I'm sorry I mouthed off," she muttered, toying with the scarf around my neck.

"Don't be. You were perfect. You didn't show weakness," I said. "If you had, they would have pounced on you and really fucked with your head." I cupped her chin and stared into her eyes. They were still filled fear, but she trusted me. She _loved_ me. I wanted to discuss that, but not with Jacob and Billy in the front seat. I traced her cheek and smiled softly at her. "I'm proud of you. So, proud." I leaned forward, kissing her tenderly and cradling her in my arms.

We arrived at the house and I helped Bella out of the car. Jacob was standing, his gun at the ready while I escorted her inside, leading us directly up to our bedroom. Bella was in a daze, her eyes wide. I helped her out of her coat and guided her to the couch. "Bella, look at me, _dolce_ ," I commanded gently. She blinked up at me. The fear was still there, swirling with something else. "Are you okay?"

"This is bigger than we anticipated, isn't it?" she asked.

"I would assume so," I frowned. "Stephan was in rare form tonight, openly defying my father. And Royce approaching us? That was not good either."

"It seems like his wife doesn't know about the beef," Bella said, her nose wrinkled. I was confused. "Maria. She seemed nice and genuine. But, Stephan snuffed out her light with one growl."

"I noticed that, too," I frowned. "My Aunt Maria is a gentle soul, kind and loving. She and Esme are good friends, but it would appear that friendship is over if my uncle had his say."

"That's so sad," Bella whispered. She moved until she was in my lap, curled up in my arms. Only then did the tension leave her body. "What's the holidays without a little family drama?"

"A little?" I quipped, kissing her forehead. "I said that earlier to my brother."

"He looked green when he had to touch Rosalie," Bella said. "What did she do?"

"Was fucked in every possible way by Royce, his lieutenant and some other guy. All. At. Once. I saw parts of my soon-to-be EX-sister-in-law that I never wanted to see. She's not a natural blonde. Just saying," I snorted.

"Ewwwww," Bella groaned. "Poor Emmett."

"I feel for him. But, he's getting his vengeance," I said.

"He's not going to kill her, is he?"

"No. He's leaving her in some random town in the middle of a cornfield, with no credit cards, cell phone or money," I answered. "She'll be left with nothing. Her shit is being dumped into Lake Michigan as we speak and the locks are being changed by Seth and his team." I tightened my hold around her body. Inhaling her sweet scent, I sighed. "Did you mean it?"

"What?" she asked.

"That you loved me?" I questioned. "I know I sound like an insecure pussy …"

She sat up, pressing her lips to mine and kissing me so tenderly. I moaned. Her tongue slid between my lips, dancing with mine. Pulling back, she stared at me. "I love you, Edward. I wanted to tell you tonight, before we made love for the first time." She frowned slightly. "I feel badly even thinking of that with all that happened, but …"

"I love you so much, Bella," I said. "And you're right. Right now, isn't appropriate. But, tonight, in our home, I want to make love to you, showing you what you mean to me. Will let me do that? Will you let me love you?"

"Only if you let me do the same," she breathed, smiling gently. "Because, I wasted precious time waiting for my head to catch up with my heart."

"Always, _cara,"_ I replied, pressing my forehead to hers. "And good things come to those who wait."

 **A/N: Up next will be the rest of Christmas, with Jimmy, Jacob, and Billy. We'll also find out if Emmett is going to go through with his plans for Rose. And who's ready for some _lemonade?_ It might be cold and wintery in this story, but it's gonna get hot between the sheets for Edward and Bella. **

**Pictures of Pompeii Shrine are on my blog, along with pictures of Stephan, Carlisle, Royce, Maria and Royce's _wife._ You can find a link for that on my blog. I'm also on Facebook: Tufano79's Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation and twitter, too: tufano79. Leave me some loving! Thank you for reading!**


	10. Chapter 10

**So, none of this is mine. I wrote the first chapter for a contest and now, I'm expanding it. What I own … a condo and too many books. What I don't … _Twilight_ and all its characters. **

**Up next will be the rest of Christmas, with Jimmy, Jacob, and Billy. We'll also find out if Emmett is going to go through with his plans for Rose. And who's ready for some _lemonade?_ It might be cold and wintery in this story, but it's gonna get hot between the sheets for Edward and Bella.**

 **Chapter Ten**

 **BPOV**

I was surrounded by warmth, protection and powerful muscles. I blinked open my eyes, seeing Edward holding me tightly to his body. Or rather, he was suctioned to mine. His arms were around me, while his legs were tangled with my own. His lips were pressed to my neck as he lay with his head on my bare chest. I sighed, running my fingers through his thick hair and massaging his upper back. He hummed, tightening his hold on me and moving his mouth along the column of my neck. "You smell so good," he said, his voice deep and husky. "All warm, and sexy, and Bella-y."

"Is that a word?" I giggled. "And what is Eau de Bella smell like?"

"In my world it's a word. And you smell like the perfect combination of vanilla, sandalwood with a touch of berry essence," he answered, his lips moving up to my jaw before he wrapped his mouth around my ear. "I could get used to this."

"What?" I asked as his tongue flicked my ear. I shuddered.

"Waking up in your arms," he said, pulling back and staring down at me. His eyes were almost jade, filled with warmth, softness and sweetness. "I love you, Isabella."

"I love you, Edward," I whispered. He rewarded me with a sexy, crooked grin. He brushed his lips with mine, teasing me with soft, reverent pecks. I sighed, happy and content for the first time in my life. He nibbled on my lip, before sitting up. "No, stay! More cuddling." I pouted, looking up at him and was frustrated when I saw him looking out the window. "Hello? Mobward …"

"Mobward," he snorted. "What is that?"

"You call me _dolce_ and _cara._ I need a pet name for you," I snickered, sitting up. I looked over to where he was staring. "Oh, wow." Overnight, it had snowed and it looked like something out of a postcard. "I've never seen anything so beautiful."

"Me, neither," Edward whispered. I looked at him and saw that he was staring at me.

"I'm gorgeous," I deadpanned. "With sleep-mussed hair and pillow wrinkles."

"And you're far more beautiful than anyone I've ever known, _cara,_ " he said, caressing my cheek.

I just about melted. As far as I know, no one saw this side of Edward. Yes, he was strong, powerful and in control when it came to the family business, but I was the only one who got to experience the sweet side of Edward. The one who loved freely, was soft and tender. I liked that I was privy to this side of his personality. I leaned up, kissing him tenderly. "Thank you, Mobward."

"You can't use that as my pet name," he laughed, getting up and pulling me along with him. "Mobward? I don't think so, Bella. Just, no."

"Okay, what's the Italian word for 'love'?" I asked.

" _Amore,_ " he replied and wrinkled his nose. "That's too feminine. _Amante_ is Italian for lover." He waggled his brows, grinning adorably.

"I'll come up with something, Edward. Just give me some time," I giggled. He gave me a gorgeous smirk, blowing a raspberry into my neck. I squealed as he tugged me into the bathroom. We took a shower and got ready for the day. It was going to be much more casual, with some more guests arriving than yesterday. Obviously, Uncle Jimmy was coming. Jacob and Billy were going to pick him up. Seth, his mother Sue and his sister Leah were also invited and going to spend a part of their day with us as well. I felt badly because I hadn't got them a present, but Edward put my mind at ease, saying that his mom had it covered.

Dressed in black leggings and an oversized green tunic, I curled my hair and put on a pair of silver hoop earrings, along with long silver necklace. Edward was in a pair of dark wash jeans with a green argyle sweater, with a white button-down underneath. He smiled at me, tugging me into his arms and kissing me. I giggled against his lips. "You are awfully snuggly today, Edward," I teased.

"It's because I'm with you," he said, his green eyes sparkling behind his chic glasses. "The magic of Christmas lost its allure when I realized that Santa didn't exist."

"What?" I asked, my eyes wide. He smacked my ass and I laughed. "I understand, baby. For me, Christmas became more of a chore when my parents got divorced. I would have to spend time with one of them, leaving the other high and dry. I had more of a Christmas with my dad and Uncle Jimmy. With my mom, it was …" I trailed off, wrinkling my nose. "It was always about her."

"Well, today is about you," Edward said, tugging me into his arms and laying his hands on my behind. I rested my hands on his chest. "And your uncle and welcoming you to our family, _cara._ You're not lifting a finger and prepare to be spoiled." He cupped my chin, brushing his lips against mine. He angled his head, sliding his tongue between my lips and I just melted against him. We kissed each other heavily until there was a quiet knock on the door. "I really want to continue this," he whispered roughly.

"At home," I said, panting heavily. He grinned and kissed me once more, twining our fingers together and opening the door. Emmett was outside, looking a little mischievous in a pair of charcoal pants and a red sweater. "Did you like cock blocking us, Em?"

"Yep," he said. "If I'm not getting any, neither is my big bro."

Edward scratched his nose with his middle finger. Emmett just cackled, tugging me down the stairs with Edward on our heels. The dining room was beautifully set, with red, green and cream decorations. "That's for dinner. We're having breakfast in the kitchen."

"It smells really good," I said. Edward nodded, sliding his arm around my waist. Esme hugged me, cupping my cheek. She was in an ivory sweater dress with red accents. Carlisle was sipping some coffee, dressed similarly to Edward. Rosalie was sitting by herself, dressed in all black. "Where are Alice and Jasper?"

"Alice had to stop at the hospital. Picking up supplies or something," Carlisle said. "She'll be back by dinner. Jasper had to check something at The Fortress, but will return with Alice." From the arch of Carlisle's brow, I knew he was saying more than he really explained. Edward replied with an evil grin, while Emmett shot a glare at his wife. I kept my face neutral, but I wanted Rosalie to get a dose of her own medicine.

"Do you want something to eat, _dolce?_ " Edward asked, kissing my temple

"I can get it," I said. He just smiled softly, guiding me to one of the chairs at the kitchen table. "Edward …"

"Spoiling you," he sang, pouring us two cups of coffee, putting them by our seats. He made us both plates and sat down next to me, kissing me sweetly. I looked down at my breakfast, snorting. "I can't look at whipped cream the same way either, Bella."

"And so, you put it on my waffle," I quipped, elbowing him in his side. Edward just gave me a wolfish grin, dipping a strawberry into the whipped cream on his own breakfast. "You're a perv, Mobward."

"Don't call me that," Edward laughed.

"Mobward? That's a new one," Emmett snickered.

"He calls me _dolce_ and _cara._ I want to give him an adorable pet name," I said, cutting into my breakfast. "He suggested _amore,_ but dismissed it."

"Too girly. _Amante_ is good," he quipped.

I wrinkled my nose at that. "So, for now, he's Mobward," I answered. He gave me a sidelong glower. I just dipped my finger the whipped cream, sucking it seductively. His eyes darkened and he licked his lips. I leaned up, pressing my mouth to his. "Love you, _amante_."

"I really like that," he growled. "And I adore you, _mia cara."_

"Hmmmm, not feeling it," I snickered. "So, if you have any suggestions … please, I'm all ears." Every chuckled, except for Rosalie. Now, there's a shocker. _Bitch._ We finished our breakfast. Edward picked our plates, washing them and putting them away. When he was done, he placed a small, but neatly wrapped present in front of me. I arched a brow. Edward just kissed me, pushing the gift closer to me.

"I'm going to be sick," Rosalie snapped, shooting up and stomping away. "Sweetness overload."

"Rosalie," Emmett growled. "Sit your ass back down. We're family and Edward is just giving his fiancée her first present." Rosalie was fuming. Emmett got up, dragging her back and pushing her into her seat. "This is time to spend with family."

"Ignore her, _cara_. I do," Edward said, placing the gift in my hands. "The first of many presents, Bella. Merry Christmas."

"Thank you," I smiled, tearing into the present. Inside there was a black velvet box. I bit my lip, opening it up and seeing elegant, but stylish mother of pearl dangle earrings. "They're gorgeous, Edward. I could wear them with so much."

He nodded, removing my earrings and putting the new ones in. "Exactly," he quipped. "Come with me, my love." He helped me up, weaving our fingers together. He kissed his mother's cheek and we went up to the music room.

"I thought we were supposed to spend time with family," I said.

"I'm giving my father and brother time to put Rosalie on the straight and narrow," Edward said, sitting me down next to him at the piano. He just started playing some beautiful holiday songs. I sighed, leaning my cheek against his shoulder. I looked out the window, watching as snow continued to fall, the lights on the Christmas tree twinkled and Edward played exquisite versions of my favorite Christmas carols. I snuggled closer, still leaving him room to maneuver to play. When I looked up, almost everyone was in the music room, save for Rosalie. "Is everything okay?" Edward asked, looking at Carlisle and Emmett.

"She's changing," Emmett said. "And she will be apologizing."

"Good," Edward nodded. "Hasn't she learned her lesson?"

 **EPOV**

By early afternoon, Alice and Jasper had returned. The catering company my mother hired was working in the kitchen, making our Christmas meal. We were all downstairs in the living room, listening to the holiday music station on Pandora. Rosalie had changed out of her black clothes and into something more festive. However, her facial expressions were still sour and she barely interacted with anyone. Emmett sat next to her, keeping a heavy arm around her shoulders and acted like a doting husband. But, everyone knew what he was going to do tonight, after we opened presents.

 _Good riddance to bad rubbish._

There was a loud buzz over the intercom. Carlisle nodded to me and I got up. I stepped into his office, seeing Jacob's car on the screen. I let him in and went to get my fiancée. "Bella, your uncle is here," I smiled. She looked up from her book that Esme had given her. Her face broke into a gorgeous grin, hopping up and sidling up to me. I opened the door as Jacob's Hummer pulled up the circle drive. The doors opened and Bella squealed when she saw her uncle. He held his arms open and they hugged for a long time. My heart warmed for her, seeing her so happy. Jacob carried his father's wheel chair up the steps. I locked it into place. Jacob hefted Billy out of the car, placing him in the chair with ease. "Merry Christmas, Billy," I said.

"You, too, Boss," he said, shaking my hand. "That's something beautiful."

"Don't be making googly eyes at my fiancée, old man," I quipped.

"I'm not, ass," Billy laughed. "The love between the two of them. All Jimmy did was blabber about how proud he was of Bella, what a beautiful, smart, amazing woman she's become. And for some strange reason, he likes you."

"That's because I'm awesome," I quipped.

"Though, when we picked him up, there was a red-headed woman who wanted to come with us. Jimmy said that she wasn't invited. She threw a temper tantrum. Do you know who that might be?" Billy asked.

"Vicky," Jacob answered. "Jimmy's ex-girlfriend. When I spoke to Jimmy prior to picking him up, he'd said that Vicky was trying to get him back, but he thinks it's not for him, but for you, Boss."

"Run a background check on her, Jacob," I said. "Find out if she knows anything or if she's a money-hungry bitch."

"On it, Boss," Jacob nodded. He rolled his father inside and brought in their presents.

Jimmy and Bella walked up the steps, laughing and smiling. "I can't believe that Victoria wanted to come. I thought she was done with you," Bella said.

"She said she was, but she appeared out of nowhere a couple of days ago and showed up just as Jacob and Billy were picking me … up? Fuck me! This isn't a house, it's a freaking resort," Jimmy breathed. He tugged on his sweater and shifting uncomfortably. "I'm going to break something."

"You're not as clumsy as me, Uncle Jimmy. I haven't broken anything," Bella said, tugging his hand and leading him inside. I followed them and watched as my mother graciously welcomed Bella's uncle. She was a gracious hostess, hugging him and making him feel like one of the family. My father was next. He was a bit more standoffish, but he needed to be with his/our position in our family. But, he was still kind and welcoming to Jimmy, even if he did keep him at arm's length. Emmett was boisterous, happy for some new male blood. Rosalie, of course, looked at Jimmy like he was a bug.

"Who are we waiting for?" Jasper asked, sipping his wine.

"Seth, Sue and Leah," Esme answered. "Seth sent a text to Emmett saying that may be late. Leah was having a rough day today."

"I hope they can make it," Bella said, her fingers gliding over the rim of her wine glass. "I'd like to meet Sue and Leah."

"Until then, let's have some appetizers," Esme sang. "Alice, Bella, can you help me?" Bella got up, kissing her uncle's cheek and squeezing my hand.

"Rose, go with them," Emmett commanded.

"You heard your mom. She asked Alice and Bella," Rosalie sneered.

"That's because she knew you'd bitch," Emmett snapped. "Go. Help." Rosalie got up and went into the kitchen, her hands in tight fists.

"She seems like a bowlful of sunshine," Jimmy teased.

"We're going through a rough patch," Emmett said. "I'm hoping to take her away, leaving tonight to reconnect. I miss my wife." I blinked over to Emmett, nodding with approval.

"Where are you going?" Jimmy asked.

"Lake Geneva," Emmett replied. "The family owns a beautiful home on the lake. It may be exactly what we need to rekindle our passion. With trying to have a baby and some work issues on my end, we've struggled."

"Good luck. I hope things work out for you," Jimmy nodded, sipping his beer. "So, Edward, Bella said that you guys chose a date for the wedding."

"Late summer," I answered.

"I'm going to make sure I've got the diner covered so I can walk her down the aisle," Jimmy beamed. "I know I'm not her father, but she was adamant on me walking her to you." His smile faded. "It's a damn shame. My brother should be here and see his little girl get married." He peeled off the beer bottle label. "And I know that Renee won't be there. Bella won't want that."

"Renee is Bella's mother?" Carlisle asked.

"Yeah. They do not get along. Renee would probably get along famously with your Rosalie, Emmett. They're cut from the same cloth. No offense," Jimmy grimaced.

"None taken. Bella's told me about her mom and I can see a lot of my wife's behavior in Renee," Emmett explained.

The women came back in with trays of food. Bella placed one down on the cocktail table. I slid my arms around her waist, tugging her into my lap. "Edward," she laughed.

"You were away from me too long," I said, kissing her nose. She snuggled next to me and idly played with my fingers. Esme made us a plate, smiling at us softly. I nibbled on the treats, feeding them to my love and grinning as she giggled. Rosalie was watching us, hatred brewing behind her violet eyes. Or was it jealousy?

An hour later, Seth, Sue and Leah arrived. Leah was a fully-grown woman, but had the mentality of a child. It was something due to difficulties during her birth. It wasn't cerebral palsy, but her brain was deprived of oxygen. She was beautiful, smiling and happy, but did not develop much farther than the age of five. Bella immediately took to her, playing with her and sharing secrets with Leah. Alice joined them and they played with Leah's stuffed animals, acting out silly stories, until dinner was almost served. Sue was watching them with rapt attention, tears streaming down her face.

"Are you okay, Sue?" I asked.

"My daughter never had friends," she whispered. "Even when we went to the center. She looks normal, but acts like a child. But, your Bella got on the floor with her and opened her heart to her. I've never heard my daughter laugh so much. You've got a beautiful, wonderful woman, Edward. A heart of gold."

"I'm very lucky. She brought lightness to my dark world," I whispered. I gave her a brief hug. Sue sniffled and wiped her face before sitting on the floor with my fiancée, family doctor and her beloved doctor.

"That's what Christmas is all about," Jimmy said, squeezing my arm. "Now, where's the can? I got to take a leak." I laughed, looking at him. He shrugged. "All that beer goes right through me. Bella would hate it if we get too sappy."

"Around the corner, first door on your right," I snickered. He nodded, ambling away. Bella and Sue helped Leah up and she suctioned herself to Bella. Bella looped her arm around Leah, who was taller than Bella and heavier, was guiding her to the dining room table, next to where Bella was going to sit. Everyone settled down and the caterers began bringing out the different courses, starting with a salad.

An hour later, we were all stuffed and nibbling on array of Christmas cookies, sipping coffee. The meal went by smoothly, much to our surprise. Initially, Leah was unsure what to do, but Bella and she made it a game, imitating each other. Another round of tears happened for Sue, but Jimmy soothed her, whispering to her about his niece. I grinned, seeing the sparks of a romance beginning between Jimmy and Sue. They were about the same age and both single.

 _Food for thought …_

"Come on. We have presents to open," Esme said. "Edward, come be Santa Claus!" I snickered, following my mother and she put a Santa hat on my head. Everyone settled in their spots and I worked to hand out the presents. Emmett helped me, along with Leah.

"I want to help, Mr. Cullen," she said. Her speech was slurred and hard to understand, but I'd hand her a gift, pointing to who it belonged to. I made sure to never give her a gift to Rosalie because she was glaring at Leah. Hell, she was glaring at everyone. When the gifts were all passed out, Leah sat back down next to her mom, gleefully clapping when she saw her own pile of presents.

"You all are far too generous," Bella said, looking at her large mountain of goodies.

"It's your first Christmas!" Esme said. "Like your first Christmas as a baby, you got spoiled. It's the same way when you become a Cullen."

"Me, too?" Jimmy snickered.

"You, too," Carlisle nodded.

And with that, presents were opened. Bella and Jimmy were flummoxed with our generosity, but very appreciative. One of the last presents that was opened was Emmett's gift to Rosalie. "A vacation in Lake Geneva?" Rosalie asked. I could tell she was not pleased.

"I can't leave for very long, but we need to spend time together, Rosie," Emmett said, sounding sweet and genuine. "I miss you and I want to fix us."

"When do we leave?" Rosalie questioned, looking at Emmett with stars in her eyes.

"Right now, Rosie," Emmett said. "I've got our bags packed and in the car. We leave now, we could get there before midnight. We'll come back on New Year's Eve." Rosalie threw her arms around his neck, kissing him soundly on the lips. Breaking apart, he made a face and tugged on her hand. "Come on. Let's head out now." He turned to everyone. "Merry Christmas …"

"Merry Christmas," Rosalie beamed, bouncing next to Emmett. He took her hand, guiding her out of the house and we watched as the car left.

"We probably should get going, too," Seth said. He looked down at his sister, who was snoozing against Bella's shoulder. "Jimmy, do you need a ride?"

"That would be great, kid," Jimmy nodded. "I really do appreciate you opening your house to me and for all of the great presents. I can't wait to use some of those recipes at the diner, Miss Esme."

"You be sure to let us know when you do," Esme beamed, hugging him and kissing his cheek. "Don't be a stranger, James. It was such a pleasure meeting you."

Jimmy shook hands with Carlisle and slid on his coat. I helped Seth and Jacob load up their presents. Seth carried out Leah, who was still down for the count. With a wave, they left and I went back inside with Jacob. "I think you should stay, Edward," Carlisle said. "We need to make sure that Emmett went through his plan."

"Do you mind, _dolce?"_ I asked.

"I'm okay with that," Bella yawned, curling up on the couch and looking at the Christmas tree. "Leah had the right idea."

"Damn straight," Alice snickered, snuggling next to Bella. "And do you notice that the tension is gone?"

"That's because the wicked witch of the near north is out of our lives," I snorted.

"All of her shit is in Lake Michigan or the Chicago River," Jacob said. "The locks were changed. Seth gave Emmett his new keys when he dropped off his 'overnight bags.'"

"I wish I could be there, to see Rosalie's face when she realizes that she's fucked," I said.

 **EmPOV**

Rosalie was looking at the resort information on her phone, practically vibrating in her seat. She was prattling on and on about how we should get a couple's massage, go swimming and make love all night. I waved my bandaged hand, saying that swimming was out of the question. Alice said that I couldn't get the sutures wet at all. She'd done a hell of a job stitching me up, but it hurt like a mother fucker.

"What happened to you, anyway?" Rosalie asked.

"I had a clumsy moment. I stumbled over the rug and my hand went through a window in Dad's office," I answered. "I'll be okay. Alice patched me up. It hurts like a bitch, though."

"Pity you can't use your long-ass fingers," she purred. "You have another hand."

"Hmmm, I do," I answered, giving her a smirk. "We could do some experimenting, love."

"Promise?" she cooed, her lips wrapping around my earlobe. I bit back a shudder, trying not to wrap my fingers around her neck. I nodded, turning to brush my lips against hers, making me sick and my heart shatter.

But, having my wife betray me the way she did killed me more than my damned hand. And _gag me._ I refuse to touch her after this moment.

Period.

End of paragraph.

My stomach turned when she kissed me, when she touched me. I wanted to throw up. This woman had used her body, like a whore, to be with Royce, his lieutenant and some random asshole. An asshole that had a Prince pissed me off more was the fact that I had a cotton swab pushed up my dick because of the bitch prattling next to me.

I was taking the scenic route to Lake Geneva because I had a plan. A devious plan to show her that she couldn't fuck me over.

Not anymore.

I'm not anyone's fool. I will not let her fuck me over.

This bitch was _done._

"Rosie, I need to get some gas," I said, pulling into a dimly lit gas station, just over the Illinois/Wisconsin border. "I'm also exhausted. Can you get me an energy drink?" I pulled out a twenty, handing it to her. She picked up her purse. "You don't need that, baby. In and out and then we'll be on our way to romantic bliss."

"Okay," she said, leaning over and kissing my lips.

She left her purse and cell phone in my car. _Perfection. Things couldn't go any better._ I watched her enter the dingy convenience store. I picked up my phone, my heart stammering and anger coursing through me. The attendant inside, a friend from high school and one of my recruits, picked up. "You know what to do. Don't help her, no matter how much she fucking begs."

"Understood," he said. "We're open twenty-four hours, even on the holidays, ma'am."

"She can't use the phone, either," I said, starting the car. Her back was turned and she was looking for my energy drink.

"Did you think about that other option?" he asked, whispering and cupping his hand around the phone.

"I'm pissed off, but I'm not cruel. She may act like a whore, but I will never take away a woman's choice," I growled. "It's out of my hands. Your help will be handsomely rewarded. By tomorrow, you will have that thanks in your bank." I hung up the burn phone. I put the car into drive, speeding out of the gas station and heading back to Chicago. I tossed her purse, her cell phone and the burn phone out onto the highway, a grin spreading over my face as I cut out that whore out of my life.

As I was pulling into my parents' subdivision, my cell phone rang. "Cullen," I barked.

"She was picked up by a guy. A blonde guy."

"Was he the guy from the picture that I showed you?" I asked.

"Yeah. At first, right after you left, she was upset that you were gone, crying and betrayed, she said. Then, she got mad. She used the payphone in the back. The blonde guy came in some fancy SUV, picking her up. After he made her take off her panties, smacking her ass." _Royce King picked her up._

I blew out a breath, nervous and angry. "Thank you for the information. You'll get double what I promised you," I said. Hanging up the phone, I drove to my parents' home, needing the protection and love of my family, especially tonight. On Christmas, I summarily dumped my wife on the side of the road because she was a whoring piece of shit. She got what she deserved, damn it. I parked my car, seeing Edward's Aston Martin still parked in the garage. He stayed. I smiled wistfully at that. My brother could be a first-class douche, but he did love fiercely. I saw that today with his fiancée.

At first, I thought Bella was a gold-digging whore, like Rosalie had described. Someone who was after my brother's money and his position within our family. But, after talking to my brother and getting to know her, I saw that Bella was a kind, gentle soul. She reminded me so much of my own mother, but Bella was a spitfire, keeping Edward on his toes. It was as clear as day, seeing how much love they had for each other. Edward looked at her like Dad looked at Mom. Bella was comfortable and was able to be herself around him. There were stars in her eyes when she smiled at him.

I'd never had that with Rosalie. _NEVER_. When we first got together, our relationship was all about sex. Rose was kinky and we had fun while having sex, fucking each other stupid. After I proposed to her, though, the sex practically stopped. She said she wanted to wait until we got married. She put up a sex-bargo until our wedding day. When we did get married, she was so demure. She refused to let me touch her, really or do any of the stuff we'd done prior to our marriage. It was missionary, in the dark, covered by sheets.

However, based on the information that Jenks' private detective gave me, she'd started fucking around on me almost as soon as I put the engagement ring on her finger. The pictures of what she'd done made me absolutely sick. Not to mention, the possibility of getting something from her. Twenty different guys … no condoms. Not. One. Known guys. Who knows if she had been with other men? Different guys than the ones we were aware of.

Several trips to a woman's clinic, three abortions, supposedly. Were any of those aborted fetuses mine?

No time to focus on that. No time to worry about that bitch of an ex-wife. She was out of my life for good.

But, did me throwing her to the wolves, declare war?

 **EPOV**

Shortly before three, my brother walked in. He looked relieved to be free of the baggage, but worried, shattered at the same time. I shared a look with my father, concerned for my brother. "How did it go, Em?" I asked. I poured him a Jameson.

"It's done," he said. "But, I'm concerned."

"I can see that," Carlisle muttered. "Why?"

"Royce King picked her up," Emmett said. I looked at him, wondering if he'd stayed, waiting for her to be picked up. Carlisle crossed his arms, his lips pressed into a grim line, waiting for an explanation. Emmett downed his drink. "I paid an attendant, a guy that I knew from high school. He used to deal drugs and I bought from him a few times. He got thrown in jail, but was released a year ago. He could barely survive on his wages from this crappy, dead-end job. He knew who I was and I asked him to do me this favor. He's trustworthy. I've used him on some other jobs, too. Anyway, he called me as I was pulling in and Royce pulled up, tearing her panties from her body before he pushed her into the car."

"He raped her?" I asked. "Royce forced himself on her?"

"I don't know that, but she is probably whoring herself out to get a place to stay," Emmett shrugged, downing another scotch. "More, please?" I poured him some more. "I'm just worried because, what if we declared war on Royce King? We'd be fighting a battle on two fronts. With Royce and Uncle Stephan. And don't forget Marcus Volturi."

"They could be working together," Carlisle mused. "And you remember what that punk said … there was a 'she' on the other line of that burn phone. It could have been Rosalie."

"She may have been planted in here to spy on us," Emmett said, his eyes wide. "What if …?" He shot up, pacing the length of the room. "It makes sense, doesn't it?"

"Did you ever discuss business with her? Ever bring anything home with you?" I asked. Emmett nodded. "Did you encrypt the information on your computer like I taught you?"

"Always," he said. "But, I never brought home anything related this side of the _family_ business. Only work from our real estate, investment business. I'd usually work on family business while at the office, or here at the house."

"We may have to have your condo checked over for bugs and for any cloning technology," I sighed, scrubbing my face. "This is a cluster fuck. Royce King, Uncle Stephan and Marcus Volturi? All joining powers to bring us down?"

"It's oddly complimentary," Carlisle snorted. "Three rival families to bring down one?"

"Well, one is related to us," I argued.

"By blood, yes but not in the heart. We have to think of Stephan as an enemy, a threat we need to snuff out," Carlisle said, arching a brow and clenching his jaw. "I'd rather not kill my own brother, but …"

"I'm sorry," Emmett muttered. "This is my fault."

"No, it's Rosalie's fault," Carlisle spat. "She's the whore. Not you."

"Thanks, Dad," Emmett deadpanned. He leaned back, idly spinning the faceted glass. "Why didn't I see this sooner?"

"You believed that she loved you," Carlisle said. "And maybe, at one point, she may have, but we have to assume that Rosalie was always a mole. The way she treated Alice, Esme and Bella, it was abhorrent. She made her bed. Now, she has to lie in it."

"Merry Christmas to me," Emmett said, clinking his glass with mine. "Just what I always wanted. Possible STIs, a divorce and a whore for ex-wife. And let's not forget scars." He waved his bandaged hand.

"But, revenge is best served cold," I smirked. "Rosalie is out of your life. She's penniless, homeless and at the mercy of Royce King. She'll be wishing she'd never crossed us by the time he's done with her." I squeezed his shoulder. "I'm sorry that you're dealing with this. I know you love her."

"I loved the idea of her," Emmett replied. "But, now? I'm sickened." He finished the rest of his drink, standing up. "I'm going to bed." He frowned. "Can I use the guest house?"

"For as long as you want, Emmett," Carlisle said, standing up and hugging him tightly.

"Just for tonight," he said. "Rose and I slept in our room and her cloying perfume …" He made a face, gagging. "I'd rather suck my own dick than go in there."

"That … that is a visual that I didn't want to have, little brother. Thank you very little," I trembled.

"You know me? I'm a giver," Emmett snorted, smacking my arm. I caught him, hugging him and kissing his cheek. "Love you, Ed. Thank you for …"

"Any time, Em," I whispered, gently patting his neck. With a sigh, my brother left the house and into the guest house that was situated above the garage. When the lights turned on, I looked to my father. "What do you think will happen, Dad?"

"One of two things," Carlisle said. "He'll become stronger, colder and more like us, not as afraid to take matters into his own hands."

"And the other?"

"He won't make it," he muttered. "But, from his reaction and how he handled it, he's leaning toward the first option." He stood up, smoothing his pants. "I'm going to bed. I didn't get a chance to fuck your mother because of all this nonsense. Maybe I can convince her …"

"Ugh, Dad," I groaned. "Again, I didn't need that visual."

"Were you conceived through immaculate conception? Nooooo," Carlisle said, smacking my head. "Your mother and I have sex. A lot of it. She's so … _nimble._ "

"LALALALALALA," I sang, sticking my fingers into my ears. My dad just smirked, sauntering out of the office. I scowled in his direction, sickened by the mental image of my parents getting it on. Probably more disgusted than the vision of Emmett trying to give himself a blowjob. "Fuck this shit. I need my fiancée." I put the stopper in the decanter, going up to my room. I slipped inside of the bedroom. There was a light on next to the bed. Bella was curled up, her arms around my pillow. She was so beautiful. I removed my clothes, sliding into bed behind her and snuggling closer to her tiny, warm body. "I love you, Bella," I whispered against her ear.

"Hmmm, love you, too, Mobward," she giggled sleepily.

"You're not calling me Mobward," I grumped, burying my nose into her curly hair. She just snickered, twining her fingers with mine and pressing her body deeper into my arms.

 **A/N: I had every intention of putting a lemon in there. I swear! God's honest truth … but the chapter changed. I got swept up in Christmas, Bella's relationship with Leah, Emmett's drama (love the EmPOV? Yeah? YEAH?) and just some humor to counteract the brevity of what Emmett did.**

 **Pictures of some of the presents they all got for Christmas are on my blog, along with some other goodies (the decanter set and gas station). The link for that is on my profile. I'm also on Facebook: Tufano79's Twilight Fanfiction. Twitter, too: tufano79.**

 **Next chapter will be their lemon … probably mostly pervy lemon because that's how I roll. *Runs off to find some visual stimulation for said lemon* See you on the flipside. Thank you for reading!**


	11. Chapter 11

**So, none of this is mine. I wrote the first chapter for a contest and now, I'm expanding it. What I own … a condo and too many books. What I don't … _Twilight_ and all its characters. **

**Next chapter will be their lemon … probably mostly pervy lemon because that's how I roll. *Runs off to find some visual stimulation for said lemon***

 **Chapter Eleven**

 **BPOV**

We left the Cullen estate in the late afternoon the following day. Edward was hovering by his brother. Emmett looked sad, but very determined. I hugged Emmett, telling him that if he wanted to talk, he could. I was a psych graduate student. I knew how to handle some of his shit. Emmett kissed my cheek and said that he wouldn't mind my help in redecorating his condo.

That was not what I expected, but I would gladly do anything to make that gentle giant smile more.

Within reason, of course. I wasn't about to have sex with him because I loved Edward. I loved Emmett, too, but not in that way. _You're rambling, Swan._ Deep breaths … phew!

Back at our condo, Edward and I put our Christmas presents away. Edward was very sweet, constantly touching me and caressing my face, holding my hands. "Are you okay, Edward?" I asked.

"I am," he said, looking at me.

"You're awfully demonstrative today," I quipped, sitting down next to him on the couch. "Not that I mind. I love your hands on me."

"I guess I am," he shrugged. "It's just with what's happening to Emmett, I'm worried."

"About?"

"About what's going to happen," he said. He pulled me onto his lap and he nuzzled my neck. "I can't lose you, Bella."

"You won't," I whispered. "I told you that I loved you. That hasn't changed."

"I know, _cara_ ," he said. "But, in my life, there are dangers. Yes, there's a code of conduct. Women are revered and never touched, but with everything swirling around us, those rules are changing. I don't like that. My mother, you, Alice … you're all under protection, but it may not be enough."

"What about you? Who protects you?" I asked. "Yes, I know that you can take care of yourself, but who _protects_ you? I can't lose you, either." I leaned forward, kissing his lips tenderly. I maneuvered my body, straddling his trim hips. He stared at me, his hands cupping my face. "I like that only I get to see you like this."

"Like what, _dolce?_ " he murmured.

"Tender, sweet," I whispered. "Like I'm the most important person in your world."

"You are, Bella," he smiled crookedly. "I love you. More than I ever imagined possible. You bring me happiness, joy, brevity and solace in my ugly world." He kissed my jaw. "You are my Bella." His hands moved from my face and he slid them down my back. He gazed at me, love, passion and desire swirling in his evergreen eyes. "I need you, _cara_."

"Make me yours. In every way," I whispered. With a slow, carnal smile, he leaned forward, kissing me deeply. I melted against his body and twined my fingers into his thick, bronze hair. His cupped my ass and stood up. I squeaked, latching my legs around his waist.

"Hold on, spider monkey," he snickered, his mouth moving along my jaw. _He did not just say that._ I giggled as he carried us to our bedroom. The sun had begun to dip below the horizon, casting a warm glow over the snow-covered city scape. Edward lay me on our bed, staring at me. "I want to see you. I want to love every inch of your body, Isabella."

"As do I," I whispered. "Please, Edward."

He smiled crookedly, pulling me up by my arms. He eased my sweater over my body and revealed the black lacy bra I wore. Edward looked at me, his eyes predatory. I blushed, uncomfortable under his scrutiny. I knew I was attractive, but the way Edward gazed at me, you'd think I was the most gorgeous woman alive and that he needed to devour me.

Cupping my head, he pushed me back onto the pillows and kissed me, plundering my mouth and holding me to his body. "You are mine," he growled against my lips. I whimpered as his fingertips traveled down my back and swiftly unclasped my bra. Tossing it from my body, he kissed down my neck and wrapped his lips around my nipple, flicking it with his tongue. "You taste so sweet, Bella."

"Edward," I whimpered, arching my back, pressing my breasts into his mouth. He growled, nibbling on my nipple and rolling the other one with his hand. Kissing across my chest, he teased my other breast, staring up at me. I brushed his hair from his face. He released my tit, kissing me forcefully. His hands unbuttoned my jeans and slid them down my legs, along with my panties. "Baby …"

"I want to lick your pretty little pussy, Bella," he said, his voice dark and husky. "I want you to fuck my face."

"Oh, shit," I whimpered. He rolled us so he was on his back and he moved my body over his lips. I'd had men give me oral, but never like this. I was completely around him and I felt very exposed.

"Hold onto the headboard, _cara,"_ he said. "Give me your body. I want to be surrounded by your sex, your scent, by you …" I bit my lip, lowering myself and he grasped my ass. He spread my legs further and with a rough swipe of his tongue, he tasted me from my asshole to my clit. I moaned, leaning forward. Edward's mouth moved relentlessly against my pussy. I was afraid to move, but Edward pushed on my ass. "Fuck my face, Isabella. Move your body, baby."

"I don't want to suffocate you," I whimpered.

"You won't, Bella," he said, biting down on my thigh. I yelped and rolled my hips. He growled from between my legs, his fingers gliding through my sex and up my ass. I shuddered, wanting him to explore there. He must have noticed my movement and he stopped licking my pussy to saturate his finger in his mouth. Teasing my asshole, he circled the rosette before he drew my lower lips into his mouth. I watched him as best I could. From his fingers, to his mouth, to his growls, I was quickly losing control. He slipped two fingers inside me and used his other hand to circle my ass.

"Oh, fuck," I gasped, not in control of my movements. My pussy was clenching, fireworks exploding from my core. "Don't stop. Don't fucking stop." Edward just snarled beneath me, curling his fingers inside. I could hear his slurping and my juices dripped down my thigh. With a silent scream, my body seemed to seize up. I gripped the headboard and let my head fall back as I felt the waves of pleasure wash over me. When my body relaxed, I fell forward and panted heavily. Edward wriggled out from beneath me. I felt him press behind me. "Hmmmm …"

"You're so fucking beautiful when you come," he whispered, his lips pressed to my neck. They were very warm and I could smell my essence. His hands moved along my belly before cupping my breasts. "I want to be inside you when you come again, Bella."

"Please," I whimpered. I turned around and tore his shirt off. My fingers traced the ridges of his abdomen while we feverishly kissed. He made quick work of his jeans, sliding them down and kicking them off. I smiled when I felt his hardness bob against my stomach. I wrapped my hand around his cock. He moaned against my mouth. Pushing me down onto the bed, he fell into the cradle of my thighs.

He pulled back, staring at me. "I want to feel you, baby. But, if you want me to wear a condom …" he trailed off.

"I trust you. I know your past, but Alice showed me your test results," I whispered. "I want you to be inside me. I want to feel _all_ of you. No barriers. I love you."

"Fuck," he said, balancing on one hand and grasping his cock. He blinked down, rubbing it along my folds. I moaned, holding my leg up and desperate to see what he was doing. He looked at me, placing his cock at my entrance. "I can stop."

"No. I want you. I want you to make love to me," I said, staring into his eyes. He leaned forward, kissing me deeply as he slid home. We both moaned loudly against each other's mouths. I was stretched to the limit, completely filled with Edward. He didn't move his body, just continued to kiss me. "Edward, baby, please … I want to feel you, moving inside me."

"I'm relishing this," he said. "Feeling your pussy all around me, wet, tight and pulsing for me." He looked at me, his eyes so very green. "I love you, Isabella, so fucking much. I want to show you." He rolled his hips and slid in and out. I whimpered, my head falling back. He looped his arm under my leg and moved his body, going deeper and deeper inside me. I never felt so full in my life. "God damn, you're squeezing me so tightly, Bella."

"Feels so good," I breathed, sliding my hand between our bodies and circling my fingers over my clit. I could feel his cock, slick with my arousal with my fingertips. "I've never been this wet, Edward. Only with you." He smiled slowly before kissing me, his tongue circling mine. His movements were deliberate and deep, filling every inch of my sex. There was no rush, but there was an urgency in his lovemaking. It was like he was trying to memorize how I felt around his body. I could feel my climax begin to build around him. "Edward …"

"I can feel you, _cara,"_ he whispered. "I don't want to ever forget this moment, this feeling. Looking at you as I make love to you for the first time. It'll only ever be you, _mia cara._ No one else." I whimpered, but he crashed his mouth with mine and rolled us so I was on top. He was deeper. We twined our fingers together as our bodies rocked in tandem. I leaned back and he cupped my breasts while I rolled my hips. "Fuck, baby, that is so beautiful."

"What?" I panted.

"Seeing my bare cock disappear into your perfect, wet pussy," he growled, his thumb pressing down on my clit. I moaned as I met him, thrust for thrust. "That's it, baby. Ride my cock. I want to feel every ounce of your arousal on me."

"Keep talking like that and it won't be long," I moaned. His thrusts grew harder and plunged deeper. "Oh, fuck! Like that, Edward. I love your dick inside my pussy."

"My dirty girl," he growled, holding my hips still while he pounded in me. I was moaning and I could feel my body begin to lose control, but this orgasm felt different, deeper, more intense. "Oh, fuck. Let go, Isabella. Cover me, baby. That's it."

"Edward!" I gasped as I pushed him out, soaking him with a very wet, juicy orgasm. I had barely recovered when Edward slid back inside and his thrusts were just as hard, making my arousal build again. I'd screamed when he came inside me, filling me with his release and collapsed on his chest, exhausted, sated and … "Edward, why are you wet?"

"Hmmmm, that would be your doing, _cara,_ " he said, his hands gliding over my back. "Apparently, when I was inside you, I was hitting at just the right angle, in the right spot, to make you come. Hard." I could hear the pride in his voice. I sat up, shocked at the sheer destruction in the bedroom. "What?"

"I think we need new sheets," I said, sliding off his softening cock. He sat up and snorted. "Aren't you mad?"

"Why would I be mad? I made my fiancée come so hard she squirted," he said, getting up and looking at the mess. He reached into his phone and snapped a photo.

"What the fuck?!" I shrieked. "Edward! Anyone can see that!"

"It's in the same folder as your naked photo that you let me take," he said, waggling his brows. He pulled me to his body and kissed me, tender and loving. "I love you, Bella. We'll clean this up in a bit. I think we need to cool off in the tub." He swept me off my feet, carrying me to the bathroom and filling the massive Jacuzzi tub.

 **EPOV**

We were boiling in the bathtub. Bella was in between my legs and idly massaging my thighs. She was quiet, relaxed and teasing me with her tits. They were just above the bubbles, pink, pert and begging for my attention. My cock was growing behind her. My recovery time was not what it used to be, so I was shocked that he was preparing to go again. "Bella, you're driving me crazy with these touches beneath the surface," I said. She smiled, pressing further back against me. "You know exactly what you're doing, don't you?"

"Yep," she said. I slid my hands under hers and twined our fingers together. Her engagement ring sparkled under the dimmed light of the bathroom. "I never felt that way, with anyone, Edward," she whispered.

"Me, neither," I whispered back. "I want it all with you, Bella. I don't ever want to stop feeling like this. I can't imagine not loving you." I moved our hands and cupped her breasts with her own fingers. She giggled, arching her chest. "You're just as pervy as me."

"Sex, fucking, making love … it's for the sake of procreation, but it can be fun," she said, turning her head. "I'm more open-minded than most. I like experimenting."

"Really?" I asked.

"Within reason, of course. Golden showers?" she shuddered.

"Ew, no," I laughed.

"I want to play, explore this between us," Bella whispered. "You make my body sing, Edward. You made me squirt. I only thought that only happened in pornos."

I snickered, moving our hands down her flat tummy. "Do you want to continue playing now?" I asked.

"Yes," she panted, capturing my lips with hers. "What did you have in mind?"

"I saw my cock disappear in your body. I want you to do the same," I said. I unplugged the tub and we both stood up. "Come with me, baby." We dried off and walked to the closet, which had floor to ceiling mirrors. "I want you to watch as I make love to you. I want you to see my cock in your pussy, watch my hands as they caress every inch of your body." I pressed my lips to her ear. "I want you to spray your cum on that mirror."

"Fuck me," she gasped, looking at the mirror and seeing both of us. I pulled over a bench, close to the mirrors and sat down. My cock was bobbing, anxious to be buried in Bella's pussy.

"Come here," I said. She walked to me and faced me. "Turn around." I scoot back and she sat down. I was behind her. She was sitting demurely, her breasts covered by her arms and her legs together. "Look up, Bella. What do you see?"

She blinked up, her head cocked. "I see a couple. A man, strong and confident."

"And you?" I asked, my fingers moving along her arms and kissing her neck. "Describe yourself."

"Petite, athletic, but with curves," she said. I slid my hands along her arms and moved them away from her breasts. I cupped them, twisting and teasing her nipples. "Hmmm, breasts that fit perfectly in your h-h-hands." I smiled against her skin, massaging her breasts and making her more aroused. Her legs were starting to fall apart. With my right hand, I slid it down her belly and caressed just above her mound. She whimpered.

"You're not describing, Isabella," I whispered.

"Flat tummy," she said, her hands leaning against my thighs. "Wide hips."

"Perfect hips," I cooed, moving my other hand to her sides. "Spread your legs, Isabella." She was panting, her breasts heaving as she spread her legs apart. "Wider. I want to see your pussy. Lean back against me." She did, her eyes moving down her reflection to her swollen sex. "Tell me. What are you feeling?"

"Desire," she breathed, her hands on either thigh. "I can smell how wet I am. My pussy is pink, leaking with arousal. I can see evidence of that on my thighs."

"What do you want me to do?" I asked, my voice deep, barely controlled. I was going to come from her description and her body.

"Touch me," she pleaded. Her hips bucked and she whimpered.

"Where? Tell me where?" I cooed, my palms on her belly. "Do you want my fingers in your needy pussy?" She whimpered, her face flushed. "Or I could tease your ass ... I'd love to take that, baby. You'd own all of me, as I owned all of you."

"P-P-P-P-Pussy," she said. "Make my pussy come, Edward." I smiled against her skin, draping one of her legs over mine. I slid my fingers through her neatly trimmed curls, soaking my fingertip with her arousal. She shuddered.

"Watch my hand, Isabella," I said, cupping her sex possessively. She bit her lip, watching my fingers disappear into her body. "You're so fucking wet, baby. I love that you get this wet with me, Bella. I want you to lose control." She cupped her breast and spread her legs farther apart. Her eyes were still trained on her sex as I languidly slid my hand inside her. When she twitched, I kept my fingers inside, curling them upward and massaging the spongy part that I knew would make her come hard. "Keep watching, Bella. See how wet you are? How pink and needy your pussy is?"

"Edward," she moaned, pawing at her breasts. "I want you inside me."

"I am inside you, baby," I said, my lips against her temple.

"I want your cock. Again, please? Fuck me with your cock," she gasped.

I gently lifted her so she was sitting on my lap. My arousal was damn near weeping to be inside her. "Put me where you want me, Bella," I said. She raised her body, grasping my dick and teased her folds before placing the head at her entrance. "Watch, baby. Watch as you take me all in."

She bit her lip as she took my cock into her body. She shuddered, just as she had when I first slid inside. I smirked at her reaction. My eyes were trained on where we were joined, as were Bella's. She tried to move along my length, but her legs were too short. I put her feet on my thighs and I leaned back, using my hips like a piston. She moaned. "Do you like what you see?"

"Now I know what you're talking about," she choked out. "Fuck, we're beautiful together."

 _There's my dirty girl_. I held onto her hips, my body moving at insane speeds as I was lost to her body. Bella was crying out, pleading for more. I felt her fingers caress the underside of my dick as she furiously rubbed her pussy, moving in concert with my hips. She clenched around me and I felt a gush of arousal on my cock. She screamed, pushing me out of her body. I grasped my cock, rubbing it along her folds as she exploded all around me. Her head was thrown back and she missed the messy show. When her legs went limp, I slid back into her and I slowly thrust in and out. It was so easy to glide within her because of her arousal. I could feel the flutterings of another orgasm around me. I moved her head, kissing her lips. "I love you, Isabella Marie Swan. You were made for me."

"Edward," she gasped, clenching around me. "I love …" She bit her lip, staring in my eyes as she came again and I filled her pussy with my release, triggered by her vice-like grip around my cock. I wrapped my arm around her waist and sat up, kissing her neck, moving up to her earlobe before kissing her delectable mouth. She sighed against my lips, looking at me blearily. "I do love you, Edward."

"I never thought I'd live to see the day where I needed to hear those words, _dolce_ ," I whispered. "I'll never tire of hearing them and I will everything to do right by you, Bella. I can't wait to be your husband."

"Nor can I wait to be your wife," she beamed. We both sat up and she gaped at the evidence of our coupling on the mirror. "Um, wow."

"Yeah," I said, grinning goofily. She smacked my arm. "What? I'm proud that I can make you lose control like that." She bit her lip, blushing as she looked back at the mirror. "Come on, _cara._ Let's take a shower and then clean up."

"Good idea. As much as I want to have more naked fun time, my pussy is sore. You're huge, Edward," she giggled, getting up and tugging me off the bench.

 **BPOV**

"I don't understand why you want my help, Emmett," I said, a couple of days after Christmas. "I'm not an interior designer. You should pick what you want for your newly redecorated condo."

"I'm color blind, Bella," he snorted. "I can't tell what's what. I don't want to have a condo that's black, white and shades of gray. Not that I'd know what colors they are anyway. Mrs. Banner, my housekeeper, knows enough to hang my clothes in outfits so I know what matches, but when it comes to furnishings?" He gestured to his empty condo, save for an air mattress in the bedroom. "Please, Bella?"

"Where did your furniture go, Em?" I asked, looking around. "And this is honestly, very nice. Homey."

"I wanted to have a family here," he shrugged. "And my furniture was donated because the she-beast bought it all."

"How did it look before?"

"Very sterile," he answered. "It was a show place. I want to be able to show it off, but be comfortable. You know?" He looked at me, sheepish and anxious. "You made Edward's condo become a home, Bella. It was tiny, minute changes, but the change is there. It could be with my brother, but it's also you."

"Have you heard from Rosalie?" I asked.

"Through Jenks. Once we figured out where she landed, in some posh high-rise condo in Trump Tower, we had the divorce papers delivered," Emmett said. "Since I'd changed my phone number and honestly, my address …"

"Wait, this isn't the condo you lived in with Rosalie?"

"Nope. I lived in some high-rise monstrosity with that bitch. Right on the shores of the lake," he snorted. "This place belonged to my grandfather. Dad had it renovated, but never sold it. He was attached to it, the old sap."

"Is there a fortress nearby?" I asked, naming the security measures in place for all of the Cullen men.

"Right next door," he snickered. "It's a small one-bedroom place, filled with technology that would make NASA shit a brick."

"Who's staying there?"

"My new bodyguard, Garrett," Emmett replied. "Seth is also on standby, when he's not working with Edward."

"Have you and Seth made up?" I asked.

"We have and I felt like a dick," he shrugged. "But, the fact that he didn't say anything pissed me off."

"Rose obviously put him in a difficult position, too," I offered. "She threatened Sue and Leah. You've met them both. What would you have done?"

"Probably the exact same thing," he snorted. He looked around the condo, giving me a hopeful look. "I know you're going back to school soon. I'd like to have furniture. Wanna spend some money?"

"Furniture for the whole place?" I asked. He nodded. "That's not going to be cheap."

"I'm a Cullen. We have more money than God," he laughed, tugging on my hand and dragging me to the garage. "Come on, Bells." I rolled my eyes and got into his massive SUV. A blonde-haired man slid into the back. "This is Garrett. Garrett, this is Edward's fiancée, Bella. You treat her like how you'd treat Esme, Carlisle or Edward. Got it?"

"Understood, Mr. Cullen," he said robotically. "Mr. Black is in the car behind us."

"Thanks, Garrett," Emmett said, rolling his eyes at me. I giggled as we drove to some furniture store that was known for its one-of-a-kind works of art. I wrinkled my nose, but followed Emmett inside. We met up with an attractive woman who was suctioned to Emmett's side, making him extremely uncomfortable. Jacob and Garrett were watching, snickering at Emmett's clear distaste for the woman.

"Look, um, Chloe," I said, looking at her. "You're making my brother very uncomfortable with your constant pawing."

"Am I?" Chloe purred. _Paw, paw, caress …_

"Yeah, but my mother raised me to be a gentleman," Emmett chuckled. "I'd appreciate if you back off, or if you could find someone else to help us. If not, we'll take our business elsewhere. I'm purchasing furniture for a 3200-square foot condo that needs to be elegant, but homey. You can probably guess what the commission is going to be, princess. You just fucked yourself royally." He wrinkled his nose. "That wasn't very gentlemanly, was it?"

"No, Em, but I think she got the point," I laughed. "So, go get some else, Chlorine." She huffed and stomped away. I shrugged, sitting down on a grey couch. "This is pretty comfortable."

An older gentleman, about Carlisle's age, came over and he apologized about Chloe. He said that she was overly flirtatious with the male customers. I said that she was acting like a harlot. The man blushed and assured us that he'd personally take care of us, giving us a hefty discount. With his help and some fancy computer program, I helped Emmett find furniture for his new home. I didn't unilaterally make decisions for him. I assisted him, by helping him choose colors, textures and décor. When it was done, the sales man was ready to hire me, but I declined, saying that I had a master's program I needed to complete.

Emmett hugged me, thanking me for my help. I smiled and kissed his cheek before getting into the car with Jacob. I had a couple of days before the winter quarter would begin and my life would return to its normal level of crazy. I wanted to make the most of it. "Jake, can you drive me to …" I trailed off. "Um, where does one get sexy lingerie? I normally buy my shit in bulk at Walmart."

"I'll drive you to see Zafrina," Jacob laughed. "Planning on seducing The Boss?"

"Planning ahead for New Year's," I smirked. "We're spending New Year's Eve at home and I want to give him something to salivate over."

 **EPOV**

"Thanks, Mrs. Cope, for doing all of this," I said. She'd come over while Bella was over at the hospital with Alice. She was preparing for her internship, meeting with her advisor and getting the lay of the land. She didn't need to do it, but with Alice's connections, she wanted to get a head start. I used the afternoon to make munchies for our evening in for New Year's, but I was hopeless in the kitchen.

"Mr. Cullen, it's truly my pleasure," she answered. "And thank you for the time off to see my daughter. She introduced me to her fiancée and he's a wonderful man. It'll be a spring wedding."

"This spring?" I asked.

"Oh, no. After she graduates from college," she laughed. "Next spring."

"Congratulations," I smiled.

"Now, your antipasto tray is in the fridge. You don't need to do anything with that except for take it out. For these other appetizers, put them in the oven at 350 degrees. The quiches? They go in for fifteen minutes and the fancy pigs-in-a-blanket? They go for ten. You can put them in five minutes after the quiches," she explained. I looked at her, my brow arched. "I wrote it down for you, Mr. Cullen." She handed me a sticky note. I read it and nodded. "I've also made some cookies. They are in the refrigerator as well, along with rum cake. It was a family favorite when I was younger. Happy New Year and I'll see you on Tuesday."

"Thank you," I smiled. She pointed to the note and bustled out of my condo. I looked up, sighing. The house looked strangely empty. The holiday decorations were boxed up and put into the storage unit. The only thing that remained was the twinkle lights on top of the mantle, mixed in with some greenery. As the sun set, I lit the fireplace and turned on the lights and lit some candles, setting a romantic mood. Bella came in a half hour later, dressed in a grey skirt, purple sweater and a long grey coat. Her cheeks were pink and she was grinning from ear-to-ear. "Did things go well, _cara?_ "

"Oh, my goodness. This is going to be awesome, Edward," she said. "My advisor, Maureen, is amazing. I may have to change my focus after meeting with her. It's going to be tough balancing classwork and the internship, but it's going to be worth it." She ran into my arms, covering my face with kisses. I slid my arms around her, relishing in her soft body pressed to mine.

"I'm so happy for you, Bella," I said, cupping her face. "You are so fucking brilliant."

"So are you, Mobward," she giggled.

"Not this again," I groaned, tugging on her hand. "If my guys heard you call me Mobward, I'd never live it down."

"Speaking of Mobward, things have been quiet since Rosalie was summarily dumped," Bella quipped, walking to the living room and curling up on the couch after she kicked off her heels.

"My guess is that they're trying to find out what she knows. But, we're still keeping a close eye on Royce, Marcus and Uncle Stephan. We've also got a private detective on Rosalie," I explained. "I can't tell you much more than that, but you're never going to be touched."

"I just worry about you, Edward," she said, brushing my hair back.

"Don't, Bella. I'm protected, just like you. I also carry a weapon on me at all times," I smiled. "Well, except when I'm home. That would be a little weird." She rolled her eyes. "Now, why don't you put your feet up and I'm going to get our meal ready."

"Meal?" she asked. "Edward, I love you, but you can't cook."

"Mrs. Cope helped," I said, turning on the oven and taking out the antipasto tray. I put it on the cocktail table and poured Bella a glass of wine. Turning on some music, I put the quiches in once the oven was preheated and five minutes later, slipped in the other appetizer.

"Edward, why don't you have a piano in your condo?" she asked. "You're a wonderful player."

"I don't know. I only took lessons to appease my mother, but playing was always soothing," I shrugged. I looked over at her and she was relaxed, content and happy. "Do you want me to get a piano?"

"It would be a nice place to fuck," she giggled.

"There's my pervy girl," I laughed.

"You know me," she smirked, blinking back at me. "But, if playing it is so soothing, why don't you have one?"

"I never really considered it. When I wanted to play, I'd go home to my parents' place," I shrugged, pulling out the quiches and pigs-in-a-blanket. I put them onto a tray and carried it to Bella in the living room. I bit my lip, considering the option of getting a piano. "It couldn't be a full grand piano. It would never fit in the service elevator."

"A baby grand?" Bella asked.

"Maybe," I said, sitting down next to her. "Where?"

She bit her lip, looking around our living room. "We could move the dining room table over and put it next to the fireplace? Or would that be too crammed?"

"I agree with you. It would be too crammed, but putting it next to the window on the other side of the fireplace would be nice. That chair is just for decoration, anyway," I chuckled. "What color piano should I get?"

"Black," she said, snuggling against my side. "It would look beautiful in here and hearing you play would be a bonus."

"Along with the promise of sexy times," I snickered, pressing my lips to her temple.

"That, too," she laughed. "But, I think your well-being is worth more than the promise of naked goodness on top of the imaginary, but soon-to-be-bought piano. Your face relaxes. The tension leaves your body and you look happy."

"Is that my fiancée talking or the psych student?" I quipped.

"Both," she answered. "As a psych student, music has healing properties and your jobs, both legitimate and illegal, are high stress. As your fiancée, I'm requesting it for purely selfish purposes."

"What's that, _cara?_ " I snickered.

"I want to hear my future husband serenade me," she said, looking up at me and grinning widely. I rolled my eyes, kissing her tenderly. We munched on the appetizers that Mrs. Cope helped me prepare and we just talked for hours on end. It was probably the best night I'd had in a long time. No stress about my job, as Bella said, both legitimate and illegal. A night filled with laughter, flirtations and kissing. When the fireworks went off, I dragged Bella to the window and we watched as the new year was celebrated in the city of Chicago. I slid my arms around her waist, making a silent vow that I was going to make every one of her dreams come true and ensure in her happiness. It was my New Year's Resolution. "Happy New Year, Mobward," she giggled.

I sighed, kissing her neck and holding her to my body. "Happy New Year, Isabella. I love you," I whispered.

She turned in my arms and her eyes shimmered. "Make love to me?" she asked. Bella removed her sweater and shimmied out of her skirt. I bit back a groan when I saw her extremely sexy, very see-through, lingerie. "Here. I want to show the world that I'm yours."

I gulped, but stared into her eyes. I kissed her, roughly. She moaned as her hands flew up to my hair. I ripped off my shirt, sending buttons flying all over the room. As I kissed her neck, Bella's fingers moved to my belt buckle, quickly removing it and pushing my pants down. I cupped her face as her hand wrapped around my cock. "Turn around, Isabella." She kissed me once more before facing the city. I ran my hands along her body, teasing her breasts and sliding her slinky thong down her legs. I gripped my cock, running them along her folds. "I love you, _cara,_ " I whispered as I slid inside.

"Edward," she sighed, her hands splayed on the glass. "It feels so good. I love your cock inside me."

 _You're telling me, baby. If I could, my cock would always be inside you._ I kissed her neck, slowly thrusting inside her. She was wet, tight, and mine. If only we weren't twenty-five stories up. She wanted the world to know she belonged to me. Bella wanted me to fuck her and show the city that she was mine. _This is my dream woman._ "Watch me as I fuck you, Bella," I grunted, my hands on her hips as I thrust forward. "Your pussy is mine. Say it, baby."

"Yours," she whimpered, her cheek pressed against the window. I removed her bra and twisted her nipples while I slammed every inch of my cock into her wetness. "Edward …" she gasped. "Harder. Take me harder." I eagerly complied, the sound of our skin slapping the only sounds in the room. She moaned, her hand circling her clit. "You're so big, Edward. I love you fucking me."

"Only you," I growled out. "It will only ever be you." She tightened her hold around my cock. I spread the globes of her ass, sucking on my thumb and circling her rosette. Her moans grew louder as she arched her back, pressing against me. I slipped my thumb into her and she pushed back, her wetness increasing around me. "I can feel you, baby. I want you to come."

"Hmmmm," she breathed, moving with me, pushing back against my cock. "More, Edward. I want more."

I removed my thumb and sucked on my middle finger, pressing it further into her body. She shuddered, her movements stopping as a rush of her arousal coated my cock. I moved my finger in tandem with my body and she began to mumble incoherently. I could feel my own body begin to tremble from staving off my orgasm. "Isabella, my Bella … I want you to come," I choked out. She let out a guttural moan, her pussy clenching tightly around me. I could feel her muscles pulsate around me and I saw stars as my cock couldn't hold back anymore. I released inside her, filling her body with my cum. She was limp against the window, panting heavily. I didn't want to leave her body, but I slipped out, seeing my release trickle down her thighs.

"I have no bones," she said breathily. She looked over her shoulder, her eyes soft and her lips curled up in a sweet smile. "I love you, baby."

"I love you, too," I whispered, sweeping her into my arms. She squeaked, her arms resting on my shoulders. "Best New Year's ever."

"It was," she smiled, kissing me tenderly. "The beginning of the best year of our lives …"

"I couldn't have said it better myself, _cara._ Now, as much as I loved showing you off, fucking you in front of the city, I want to make love to my fiancée," I whispered. "You deserve nothing less." She smiled as I laid her down on the bed where we were lost in each other until the sun came up.

It was the beginning of the best year of our lives and I had a woman who I loved by my side. That made it worth it.

Always.

 **A/N: We had some drama in the previous chapter. This chapter was all lemony, smutty goodness. With a little plot development. Pictures of Emmett's new condo are on my blog. You can find a link for that on my profile. I'm also on Facebook: Tufano79's Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation. Twitter, too: tufano79.**

 **Up next will be back to reality and a jump in time. Probably closer to Valentine's day … and the grand opening of Bound and Gagged. Now, this will not turn into a BDSM story. I'm not into that. But, it will be lead to some pervy times for our two lovebirds. Leave me some loving … Thank you for reading! :-)**


	12. Chapter 12

**So, none of this is mine. I wrote the first chapter for a contest and now, I'm expanding it. What I own … a condo and too many books. What I don't … _Twilight_ and all its characters. **

**Originally, I'd planned something different for this chapter, to be honest … but I like this version. I hope you do, too.**

 **Chapter Twelve**

 **BPOV**

"Bella, you're dragging," Jacob said as he carried my bag. "You can barely keep your eyes open. How are you going to get through your hours for your internship?"

"I have no choice, Jake," I yawned, feeling achy, tired, my chest too tight and just plain worn out. Taking a full course load plus the internship was kicking my ever-loving ass. I think I spent more time at school than at home since I went back to class on the Wednesday after New Year's. "Can we stop at Starbucks on the way to the hospital?"

"You should just get the coffee as an IV, Bella," Jacob snorted.

"Is that possible?" I quipped.

Jake rolled his eyes, dumping my stuff into the back of the car and helping me into the passenger seat. We went through the Starbucks drive-thru. I picked up a venti triple espresso thing, along with another one for Alice, who was also working tonight. Jake parked the car and he followed me inside, ducking into the staff lounge where he changed into a pair of scrubs, acting like an orderly while I completed my internship hours. He blended into the natural habitat of the hospital. _Blended, my ass._ I put on my ID, checked in with the triage nurse and went in search of Alice. "I come bearing gifts."

"Oooh, I need this," Alice sang, greedily taking the coffee from my hand. "Exactly how I like it. Strong as fuck."

"Glad I could help," I snorted. "Any admits for me?"

"Nope, but Maureen left a stack of files for you to read over," Alice chirped. I groaned, knowing that I was about to pass out if I had to read another passage. My head was hurting and I did not want to read. "Bella, I love you like a sister, but you look like crap."

"Thanks, Alice. I feel the love," I deadpanned. "I'll take that coffee back."

She gave me a glower, her hand pressed to my forehead. "Seriously, you look awful and you're running a fever." She swiped an ear monitor, stuffing it into my ear. I hissed. "Yep, 102. Did you get a flu shot?"

"It kind of slipped my mind when I was pummeled back in October," I deadpanned. "It was next on my to-do list."

"Come here," Alice grumbled, putting me onto a gurney. She slapped on some gloves and felt my glands, looked down my throat and checked my eyes. "You're fighting something, Bella. Something big. A fever, swollen glands, that deep, nasty cough … You're useless here. I'll let Maureen know that you won't be in for the rest of the week. Perhaps next week, too."

"But, I have to get my hours in!" I wailed, before coughing. "Ouch."

"I talked to Maureen. You're essentially done with your required hours for the entire semester," Alice deadpanned. "I know you're dedicated, but not at the risk of your health. Go home, Isabella or I'll tattle on you. Tell Edward that you're sick."

"What's he going to do? He's on a business trip to New York," I retorted.

"He could always fly back and handcuff you to the bed," Alice smirked, sticking out her tongue. "I'm still ordering a chest x-ray. You've got crackles."

"Alice …"

"Stop. You're family," she chided, waving her finger at me. "In fact, I think that while you're sick, you should go stay with Carlisle and Esme. You need to be pampered. You've been burning the candle at both ends and in the middle, Bells. Do you have class tomorrow?"

"I'm guessing I should say no?" I grumbled.

"Smart woman. I knew I liked you for a reason," Alice snickered, tossing me a gown. "Put that on and I'll get you into radiology after I call Aunt Esme." I changed into the gown, shivering and curling up on the gurney. Alice came back with Jacob, still acting like an orderly. "You can head over there once I release you, barring anything funky on your scans." She put a warm blanket over me. I must have dozed off on the ride to radiology. I took several chest x-rays, feeling shittier as the night progressed. I had some congestion, perhaps the beginning of pneumonia. Alice said she'd keep an eye out, but pushed me out of the emergency department, saying that I couldn't come back until I was two days without any sort of fever. That went for class, too.

She'd write me another note.

Thankfully, it was Thursday. I prayed I got over this and would be able to go to class on Monday.

I crashed in the car to Carlisle and Esme's, my body just giving out. When I woke up, I was in the bedroom that I'd shared with Edward. Carlisle was sitting next to me, gently dabbing my face. "What time is it?" I croaked, sitting up and feeling dizzy.

"A little after three in the morning. You were delirious," he said. "Esme is making some soup. She says it's a cure-all for any illness." He gently pushed me back, wiping my forehead. "You're very sick, Isabella."

"It's just the flu," I said, coughing.

"Alice listened to your lungs a little bit ago. They're more congested than when you are the hospital. She said you have full-blown pneumonia," he said. "You're going to have to go down to the clinic to get another set of x-rays, but you're too weak."

"I can walk," I argued. Carlisle arched a brow. "I'm sorry. I'm a horrible patient."

"You are," he snickered. "When was the last time someone took care of you?"

"When I had chicken pox," I shrugged. "I was nine." Carlisle frowned. "I was always the nurturer, Carlisle. My mom … she was not very motherly and my dad, he was a good man, but a workaholic. Jimmy, too."

"Well, you are going to be taken care of while you're here, Bella. Edward is beside himself and was ready to take the private jet back home," Carlisle chuckled.

"That's not necessary. He'd just be watching me sleep and be a slob," I snorted, coughing and whimpering as my chest ached. Carlisle gave me some water and rubbed my back. "I'm sorry."

"Do not apologize, Bella," he said. "You're sick." Esme came in with a tray and she placed it over my lap. "Smells delicious, _mi amore._ "

"Thank you," she smirked. "You need to eat, Bella. Keep your strength up. And once we're done, Alice wants to have you get another chest x-ray." I frowned, tucking into my soup, but it burned against my raw throat. I ate what I could, but the pain was too much. Esme took it away and said we'd try again later. Carlisle helped me to my feet, but picked me up easily when I stumbled unsteadily. We went downstairs to the basement into a fully functioning clinic.

"Wow," I choked out.

"In our line of work, we'd need to access to state-of-the-art medical facilities, but for there not to be a trace," Carlisle said.

"How did you buy this without …?" I asked, gripping his arm. He didn't respond, but wore a coy smile. "Never mind. I don't want to know." He chuckled and carrying me into a private examination room. He hugged me gently before helping me onto the table. Alice breezed in, her eyes exhausted and her face pale. "Alice, you look about as good as I feel."

"Probably, but you're my priority, Bella," she said. "I'll come and get you, Uncle Carlisle, when I'm done. It shouldn't be that long. Just a quick x-ray." He nodded, leaving the room. Alice listened to my lungs and she grumbled. She moved me to get my x-ray. I followed her instructions, but struggled with holding my breath. My scans showed up almost instantly on a tablet. "Bells, you've got pneumonia. How long have you felt shitty?"

"It started with a cold, about a week ago," I said. "As each day progressed, it got worse."

"Okay, I need to check to see if it's bacterial or viral," she said. "If it's bacterial, I can treat it with antibiotics. Viral? You just need to wait it out. I can treat the symptoms, give you some medications, but it's just a waiting game."

"Am I contagious?"

She wrinkled her nose and shook her head. She took a culture, handing me an inhaler and explained she'd be up to set up a nebulizer once she began her tests. Carlisle came back, sweeping me in his arms. I wanted to complain, but I don't think I could have walked up the four flights of stairs to my room. I sighed, leaning my cheek against his shoulder and my eyes drooping. I was asleep by the time I was upstairs, tucked in my bed.

 **EPOV**

"Alice, what do you mean?" I asked as I looked out the window, gazing at the craziness of New York City, even at two in the morning. I was in New York for a business trip, both legitimate and illegal, as Bella would say. I'd already handled the illegal portion of my trip, for the most part. I had to inspect a shipment that we'd intercepted of guns, drugs and women. We kept the guns and the drugs, but offered the women a chance at a better life. Many of them asked to be sent back to their homes, while others disappeared into the night. A few accepted our help and Jasper worked with a friend to get them visas and provide them with opportunities. The shipment was originally slated for Royce King, but all's fair in love and war.

I had one more step before I was done with illegalities of my job and I was doing that tomorrow.

"She's got pneumonia, Edward. Your fiancée is very, very sick," Alice explained, sounding exhausted. "It's viral. I'm treating her aggressively, but I'm not going to lie. It's going to take longer than a weekend for her to get better. I tried to talk to her about taking the rest of the quarter off, but she was adamant on not dropping out of school."

"I understand where she's coming from, Alice," I said. "She lost a week when she was attacked. Now, you want her to take a quarter off?"

"She's running a high fever and if she doesn't stop, she's not going to get better. And I'd prefer the rest of the semester, just to be safe," Alice growled. "I know she's dedicated to her schooling. I love her for it. I was the same way when I was in medical school, but this is her health. Can you come home?"

"I have a meeting tomorrow with my cousin, Anthony, Stephan's son," I said. "I can come home after that."

"Thank you," she breathed. "I'll start working on typing up my report for Bella's advisor. I'm thinking she should take the rest of the school year off, picking up where she left off next fall. She's got an aggressive strain of pneumonia and I'm not talking about walking pneumonia. It's full-blown. If I had my choice, I'd have her admitted, but with the clinic at your parents' home, I've got better shit there and a reliable staff - me. Anyway, I'm going to take a nap. I have to work a double shift at the hospital, but I was running Bella's tests."

"Thanks, Ali," I said, pinching my nose. "Take care of my girl, please."

"Will do."

I hung up and sat down on the bed in the penthouse apartment overlooking Central Park. I pinched my nose. There was a quiet knock on the bedroom door. "Come in," I said.

"Hey, Boss," said Seth. "I got a text from Alice. You need the plane tomorrow?"

"Yeah. After our meeting with Anthony, we're going to head back. Bella's really sick," I said.

"What's wrong?"

"Alice said pneumonia," I answered. "I wanted to check some properties, but I don't think that will happen."

"Couldn't Emmett do that?" Seth suggested. "He's avoiding being in Chicago, for some pretty obvious reasons. He talked about staying here a little longer. He could check the properties and whatever you had planned for this trip."

"Brilliant," I chuckled. I sent Emmett a text, explaining that Seth was staying with him while I went home after meeting with Anthony.

I was curious if he knew anything about his father's intentions. Their relationship was contentious at best. Anthony was closer to me, Emmett and my dad than he was to his own father. I sent a text to Anthony, asking him to move up our meeting. I also made arrangements to leave a little after noon. The final thing I did before going to bed was order a huge bouquet of flowers for my fiancée, delivered to my parents' home.

I stripped out of my clothes, crashing on top of the bedding. It was only a matter of time before the nightmares began. It had been a long time since I'd had a nightmare, but they revolved around Bella and losing her. Suffice it to say, sleep didn't stay with me. I'd sleep once I was back in Chicago, when my fiancée was in my arms and I knew she would be okay.

I was a zombie the next morning. I drank a shit-ton of coffee, putting on my game face when I got ready for my meeting with Anthony. He'd sent a response, saying he'd be happy to meet earlier, for a breakfast meeting at one of his many restaurants. Dressed in a gray suit, I rode down to the street level. I got into the waiting Town Car with Jasper at the wheel. Seth was next to him. Driving to an Italian restaurant owned by Anthony, I got out and went inside. The restaurant was closed, but the smells of breakfast food assaulted my nose. "Cousin," said Anthony. He walked over to me, hugging me and kissing my cheeks. He was a few years older than me, with dark curly hair, bright ice-blue eyes and a fit body. "You look like hell, Edward."

"My fiancée is sick back at home," I said, shaking his hand.

"Fiancée! When did this happen?" he laughed, guiding me to a table and sat down. "Coffee?"

"Please," I chuckled. "And it's been about three months. I proposed right before Thanksgiving and we're planning a fall wedding."

"Congratulations," Anthony sang, handing me a cup of coffee. "Do you have a picture of this dream woman?" I handed him my cell phone, showing him a picture from Christmas. Bella was on my lap, curled against me and smiling widely. "She's gorgeous, Edward. She reminds me of my mother."

"Have you spoken to Aunt Maria? Or your father?" I asked.

"My mother, yes," he sighed. "The asshole? Nope. He still thinks that I'm a failure because I'm not on _his_ side."

"What do you mean?"

"Stephan hates Uncle Carl. Hates that he got the role as head of the family, even though Stephan was older. He knows the rules of the family," Anthony scoffed. "I think he's up to something, Edward. Mom believes so."

"Aunt Maria … she seemed almost down-trodden at church. We ran into your father and mother at midnight mass on Christmas Eve," I said. "She lit up when she saw my mom and seemed very happy for me when we told her that I was engaged, but your father barked an order and she just shrunk back, almost collapsing on herself."

"I never saw him raise a hand to her, but I wouldn't put it past him," Anthony growled. "Look, I know that we're family. My loyalty should be with my father, but I'm a disappointment in his eyes."

"I don't understand why. You own numerous well-known restaurants and clubs. Plus, you're one of my biggest movers of product in the New York area," I snickered.

"It's because I'm working _with you_ that he doesn't trust me, Edward. You're like the little brother I should have had, Ed. I love you and I respect you a great deal. It's because of that love and respect that I'm telling you that my father is planning on doing something big. I haven't spoken to him since the birth of his grandson."

"AJ is five," I said, naming his oldest son, Anthony Junior.

"Exactly. He won't acknowledge Carmella either," Anthony sighed, showing me a picture of his daughter, who had just turned three. "She looks exactly like my mother, doesn't she?"

"She's a beauty," I smiled. "Speaking of your children, I have gifts for them." I looked back at Seth. He nodded, ducking out of the restaurant. "They're from my father, me and Bella."

"So, your fiancée has a name," Anthony teased. "Bella … a fitting name for the lovely woman who's captured your heart, cousin." Seth came back in, carrying a tote filled with toys, clothes, books and other goodies for AJ and Carmella. Anthony gave me a glower.

"What? We don't have babies yet in our family. So, we spoil yours," I quipped.

"I thought that Rosalie and Emmett were trying," Anthony said. Seth stiffened his gaze turning cold. "What? Did I offend?"

"Rosalie is a whore and is no longer a part of our family," I said, my tone steely. "She's …" I didn't continue because I didn't want to air out Emmett's dirty laundry.

"Holy shit," Anthony breathed, putting the clues together. "She cheated on Emmett?"

"On numerous occasions," I said. "I'm not going to say more. If Emmett wants to tell you, he will, but she disrespected our family and paid for it."

"Well, good," Anthony snorted.

"Good, she dissed us or good, you're glad she's gone?" I growled, my temper flaring.

"Glad she's gone," Anthony said, holding up his hands. "I hated that bitch. She openly flirted with me, even going so far as offering me a blowjob at Uncle Carl's and Aunt Esme's anniversary party. I'm happily married to my beloved Nina and would never even think about cheating on her."

"She made a pass at you?" I asked.

"She had her hand down my pants, Edward," he deadpanned. "I'm not going to lie. It felt good. It was right after Carm was born and she was up with colic. Nina was threatening me, almost hourly, to chop off my dick and I was horny. But, she was your brother's wife. I stepped back, gave her a stern glare and went to find Nina. I kissed her, told her I loved her and then explained what Rose had done. Nina wanted to pop Rose's implants."

"I would have held her down," I snickered. "Anyway, I wanted to meet with you regarding some changes. From you what you mentioned earlier, I think you're aware of them."

"That my dad is trying to take you all out? Yep. I'm aware," Anthony grumbled. "He recruited some of my stronger men, with the promise of sex, drugs and money. A few of my more loyal soldiers told me about a secret meeting with 'Roman,' who turned out to be my father."

"What else do you know?" I pressed.

"Not much. Just that my father is building an army. I think he's working with someone, but he wouldn't let the guys know unless they swore a blood oath to honor and protect this new faction," Anthony said.

"Have you heard from any of the guys who switched sides?" I asked.

"Just one. He signed the oath, but sent me a letter from an address in Jersey," Anthony explained. He got up, returning with the letter in a plastic bag. "It's from one of the kids of my lieutenants. He said that he was going to be a spy from the inside, but wasn't sure when he'd be able to contact us."

"Do you trust this …" I read the name. "… this Colin?"

"His father? Brady? Yes. With my life. Colin? He's a thug. Not too smart," Anthony said. "Brady wanted to go after him, but he made his bed. If he's discovered, Colin's dead. If he gets away, he's just as dead. None of my guys will trust him."

"This sucks," I muttered.

"I don't know if Colin is in Chicago or if he's up in Jersey," Anthony said. He handed me a photo of a kid who was just out of high school, big like a football player and angry. "Brady asked me if you could … just check on him?"

"I'll do my best," I said, tucking the photo into my pocket. "Now, about sales and business for the latter part of the year." We spent a few hours going over numbers, which had been incredibly lucrative for Anthony. He explained that the percentage of his profits was deposited into our offshore account. I gave him access to the newest shipment and we finalized the deal over breakfast, coffee and a warm hug. "You better come in for my wedding, fucker."

"I wouldn't miss it, asshole," he snorted. "To see the last single Cullen to get married off? I'm shocked that hell hasn't frozen over." I smirked. "The next time you come to New York, bring your fiancée. I want to meet Bella and see if she's worthy of my favorite cousin."

"I will," I said, kissing his cheek. "Give Nina, AJ and Carm my love. Oh, and Emmett will remain in town. If you have any concerns regarding the shipment, please, call him."

"Understood. Go home to your girl, Ed," he said, smacking my shoulder.

We hugged once more and I left the restaurant. Seth and Jasper were waiting for me. "You ready to head home, Boss?" Jasper asked.

"I am. Is the plane cleared for takeoff?" I asked. Jasper nodded. "Seth, are you staying with Emmett?"

"Yeah. He's sleeping off a hangover. I texted him while I was getting the gifts for Anthony's kids," Seth chuckled. "He called me and said he'd be human by nightfall."

"Is he falling back on his man whoring ways?" I asked.

"More like drowning his sorrows in alcohol," Seth shrugged. "He won't even look at a woman, ignoring anyone who approaches him. I think the reason being is his unopened STI test results in his pocket."

"He had those tests done at Christmas. It's been almost a month!" I sighed. Seth made a face, but understood where Emmett was coming from. I leaned my head back and listened to some music that Jasper had playing until we pulled into the private airstrip. I got out, walking briskly across the tarmac and onto the waiting plane. I asked my pilot if we were cleared to go. He said once the luggage was loaded on, our flight plan was set and we were ready to head back to Chicago Executive Airport. I took out my laptop, sitting in the rear of the plane and buckled up. Twenty minutes later, we were airborne. I worked on my computer, but my mind was on my girl, who was sick and that worried me to no end.

 **BPOV**

The next time I woke up, I was moving. It was dark outside, but that didn't tell me much. I felt the movement again, but I realized it had a pattern. I blinked my eyes and saw Edward in bed next to me, with me draped across his body, his arms tight around me and a furrow between his brows. I sat up, but was tethered to something. Edward's eyes flew open. " _Dolce,"_ he said, his voice rough with sleep.

I tried to speak, but my throat was raw. I wriggled and he moved, sitting me up and putting a pillow behind me. I realized that I was tethered to an oxygen tank, a nasal cannula inside my nose. I pointed to it. "Alice said that your oxygenation was too low. So, she put you on oxygen. It's also got an antibiotic in it to help break up the crap in your lungs," he explained. "She tried to tell me, but she started talking doctor and I got worried."

I gestured for something to write with. Edward took out his cell phone and I opened up a note. _When did you get here?_

"I arrived here in the late afternoon yesterday. You've been sleeping for about a day, only getting up to go to the bathroom, but you were barely conscious," Edward explained. I wrinkled my nose. I pointed to him. "Alice helped you. You freaked out when I tried to help, but Alice said that your temperature had spiked. You were probably delirious."

 _What day is it?_ I typed.

"Sunday evening, Bella, but you're nowhere near being better," he whispered, his eyes, dark with exhaustion and fear. "You have pneumonia. Your lungs are filled with crap and you need hourly nebulizer treatments." Tears welled in my eyes. "Don't cry, baby. Please?"

 _What about school?_ I sniffled. _I don't want to lose more time. I love what I'm doing at the hospital._

"Which is where you caught the pneumonia, Bella," Edward said. "Your advisor is just as sick as you, but is on the mend because she caught it sooner than you did. She's been on medication for about a week." His eyes shimmered with tears. "When Alice said you weren't moving enough oxygen, I nearly had a heart attack, Bella. She was talking about intubating you. I know that school means a lot to you, but so does your health. You're going to be as weak as a newborn kitten for a while."

 _Take off the quarter?_ I asked, showing him the phone, coughing and holding my hand to my chest.

"More like the semester, baby," he whispered. I scowled. "You're getting better, but not as quickly as Alice would like. And if you have a relapse, it could kill you, Bella. Maureen said that she'd give you an A for your internship, knowing the hours you put in, but school, attending classes, it's just not in the cards. Are there any classes you could take online?"

 _That could work,_ I shrugged. _But, the rest of the semester?_ He nodded, a lone tear falling down his cheek. It was then that I saw his fear. He was terrified of losing me. And it wasn't due to his job, or his connections. It was some nasty bug I'd caught. I wiped the tear away, pouting. He held me tightly, his cheek pressed to my head. _Edward, I'm disgusting. I don't know how you can handle sitting next to me. I'm sick as a dog and I can smell how gross I … blech!_

"I don't fucking care," he said. "You can't really shower on your own, but I think I can talk Alice into letting me help you. You're going to have to be unhooked from your medications and oxygen tank." He kissed my forehead and got up, caressing my cheek. "I love you, _cara._ I'm so sorry you've been so sick." He left me in the bedroom and I let the tears come. By the time Edward came back with Alice, I was clawing at the bedding, unable to catch my breath.

"God damn it," Alice spat. She tore the cannula from my nose and covered my face with a mask. "Deep breaths, Bella. Nice and slow."

"What happened?" Edward asked.

"I don't know, but you need to calm down, Cullen," she growled. "Come on, Bella. You're okay." She turned around and barked orders to Edward. He hopped up, leaving me and I reached for him. "No, no, no, sweetie, he's starting the shower. The steam should help, Bella. But, you've got to calm down. I can't let you into that shower if you aren't able to breathe on your own." She moved, exaggerating her breaths and I was able to regain control. She nodded, putting something on my finger. She grunted. "Fuck."

"What?" Edward asked.

"Her pulse ox is too low," she said. "I don't want her to be without the oxygen for that long."

"Please," I hissed behind the mask. "So, gross." I coughed, my throat on fire.

"Let's wait fifteen minutes and then if you're readings improve, you can get clean," Alice said, removing the thing off my finger. She bustled around me, listening to my lungs and adjusting the oxygen tank.

Thankfully, my levels were better and Alice left to prepare a stronger nebulizer treatment. Edward lifted me from the bed, carrying me to the bathroom. He removed his clothes before taking off mine. He hung the attached IV bag inside of the shower and he carried me into the shower, sitting down on the bench, with me in his lap. "Better, Bella?"

I nodded, too weak to really talk. He took the shower head, running it over my body and through my hair. He tenderly washed me and pressed soft kisses to my temple, holding me to his chest. My pallor was a sickly grey and I'd easily lost about ten pounds from not really eating. "I bet this was not how you wanted to come home. Taking care of your sick fiancée?" I quipped, my voice raw. "I would have rather had wild monkey sex."

"So, would I," he laughed, moving me so I was between his legs. He massaged my shampoo into my hair. I moaned, my head falling forward. He took the shower head, rinsing out the shampoo before putting in my conditioner. When he was done with that, he just held me, letting the warm air calm my aching lungs. "I'm sorry about school."

"Me, too. But, there's no way I could go back on Monday," I whispered. I blinked up at him and he seemed worried. "You already emailed my advisor, didn't you?"

"Alice did," he replied. "She saw how sick you were. When I came home, you were running a fever of 106 degrees, Bella, shivering and incoherent. You probably killed a few brain cells." I shrugged, nodding in agreement. "Your advisor emailed Alice back, saying that it would be fine. You would just be withdrawn from your classes. It's early enough in the term that you could drop without any penalties. When you're feeling up to it, you can ask about online options for your classes. For now, focus on feeling better."

"I do feel better," I said. "You're here. Someone's taking care of me." Tears began flowing anew.

"Baby, please don't cry," he choked out, clutching me to his chest.

"No one has ever taken care of me, really. Your parents, Alice, you … your family has been the only ones to do so since … well, a long time," I sniffled. "Uncle Jimmy fought for me after my dad died, but the last time I was taken care of was when I had the chicken pox. I was nine." Edward growled, deep in his chest, as he tightened his hold on me. "I think your dad had the same reaction."

"Smart man," he said. "He did call Uncle Jimmy. He came over while you were delirious. He was a mess, remembering your dad and how he was toward the end. Suffice it to say, he was freaking out."

"Oh, God. Someone needs to call him!" I whispered, struggling to stand up.

"Shhhhhh, _cara_. Sue and Leah went over to check on him and he's fine. He was scared that you were going to die, but Alice said she wasn't going to let that happen," Edward murmured. I nodded, shivering in his arms. He turned off the water and swiped a towel, wrapping it around me. "What do you want to wear?"

"Warm, big, smells like you," I said, giving him a timid smile. He cupped my face and brushed his lips against mine. He put a towel around his waist, disappearing back into the bedroom. He came back a few moments later with pair of soft plaid pants, an oversized hoodie, t-shirt and fluffy socks. Picking me up, he helped dress me and even blew dry my hair. I tossed my frizzy hair up into a messy bun, feeling more human I'd felt in days. After brushing my teeth, I was able to slowly make my own way back to the bed, which had fresh sheets on it.

Edward changed into a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. I crawled into bed, exhausted, physically and emotionally. Edward reattached the IV bag to the metal pole next to my side of the bed. Esme came in with a tray. "You haven't had a proper meal in days, Bella. It's more soup, some Jello, and hot tea," she explained. I smiled at her in thanks. On the same tray, there was a sandwich, some fresh fruit, chips and some water. Edward nibbled on his sandwich while I tried to eat what I could of the soup, but the Jello felt better on my throat. I did eat most of my meal before Alice came back with some sort of contraption.

"What's that?" Edward asked.

"Nebulizer with a new medication," she said. "Stronger than what I've been giving you. Are you done eating?" I nodded. She checked my oxygen levels, still frustrated with how low they were. She put the nebulizer mask over my face and turned on the oxygen. Almost immediately, I felt the pressure ease up from my chest and I was breathing easier. "Good?"

I nodded. I reached for Edward's phone since my throat was still hurting. He unlocked it for me. I typed out a question for Alice. _Will I be able to go back to school? Edward said you emailed my advisor._

"In the fall, Bells," she said. "Your recuperation will take time. You may feel better, but this is a nasty strain of pneumonia, doubled with the flu, as well. Your body will need time to heal itself."

 _As stupid as this sounds, what about sex?_ I asked, blushing behind the mask.

"You and Edward are too much alike," she deadpanned. "Pervs, both of you!"

"Did she ask about sex?" Edward snickered.

"I would like grandbabies," Esme said, fluffing the bedding. We all stared at her. She just smirked. "Since Emmett is convinced he's going to become a monk, you're my only hope. I'm just as curious, Alice."

"I should give you shit and say that you can't have sex until the fall, either," Alice laughed.

"Don't make me kick your ass, Dr. Whitlock," Edward grumbled.

"But, that's up to you and Edward. I would suggest that you wait at least a month. And if you do, use other forms of contraception. The shot is pretty much fool-proof, but your body is fighting tooth and nail to beat this pneumonia. I'd wait until I give you your next dose, in the beginning of March," she said. Alice blinked over to Edward, reaching into her bag and handing him some lotion. "Get used to Rosie Palmer, Boss. Your cock will be silky smooth."

"Oh, goody," he deadpanned. I smacked him weakly. "I don't care about sex, _dolce._ " I arched a brow. "I do, but not at the risk of your health. We have the rest of our lives, right?" I nodded. "I love you, Bella."

 _I love you, too. Thank you for coming home,_ I tapped out on his phone _._

"Okay, enough with the love fest," Alice snickered. "The treatment will take about an hour. I want to check your oxygen level after that." I gave her a thumbs up, snuggling into Edward's arms. He turned on the television and we watched a movie. Well, I dozed, while he watched a movie. After an hour, Alice was pleased with the results and said that the treatment would help me more than the previous plan she'd devised.

All I knew was that I wanted to get better. I hated being sick.

 **A/N: Up next will be back to reality and a jump in time. Probably closer to Valentine's day … and the grand opening of Bound and Gagged. Now, this will not turn into a BDSM story. I'm not into that. But, it will be lead to some pervy times for our two lovebirds.**

 **Now, what do you think about Anthony? Good guy? Bad guy? Double agent? Pictures of Anthony are on my blog, along with Edward's penthouse in New York. Leave me some loving! Thank you for reading!** **J**


	13. Chapter 13

**So, none of this is mine. I wrote the first chapter for a contest and now, I'm expanding it. What I own … a condo and too many books. What I don't … _Twilight_ and all its characters.**

 **Up next will be back to reality and a jump in time. Probably closer to Valentine's day … and the grand opening of Bound and Gagged. Now, this will not turn into a BDSM story. I'm not into that. But, it will be lead to some pervy times for our two lovebirds.**

 **Chapter Thirteen**

 **EPOV**

A month passed. Bella slowly got better and bitchier. I loved her more than words could describe, but she was hell on wheels while she was sick. We stayed with my parents for two weeks. Then, we went back to the condo. She tried to do some house work and ended up with a minor relapse. She wasn't as sick as she was before, but she was angry and frustrated. She wanted to contribute to the household. She needed to feel productive, but I was terrified she'd get sick again.

We had a huge fight when I caught her cleaning the house, standing on a ladder while dusting the chandelier in the foyer. She called me an overbearing, controlling asshole. I spat back that she was acting like an irresponsible shrew. Shortly after our fight, she collapsed in the shower, dizzy and shaky. She sobbed and apologized, saying that she had pushed herself too far. I held her as Alice stitched up a minor laceration on her arm. Bella wanted to have makeup sex, but I said no. When the time was right, we'd be able to make love again, but it wasn't now.

We spent Valentine's Day at the house. Bella was still too weak to do much. We'd been invited to the grand opening to Bound and Gagged, but with Bella feeling under the weather, I had to decline the invite, but I said that we would come once my fiancée was feeling better. Emmett did go to the opening and he said that he was impressed. It was going to be a moneymaker, that was for certain. When I saw the spreadsheets and totals from that opening weekend, I was pleased to see my initial investment recuperated in one weekend.

Bella did reach out to her advisor regarding her classes. Two classes could be taken as an independent study and online. Working with her professors, Bella began the work for her modified classes. She'd have to write two major papers, but she'd welcomed the challenge. If the papers were well-received, they would be published in some psychology magazine.

When she wasn't working on her papers, Bella was planning our wedding. We were going to have a proper engagement photo shoot and send out 'save the date' by the end of March for our wedding that would be happening by mid-August. Bella would be going back to school after Labor Day, which would leave us two weeks for a proper honeymoon. I wanted to show her the world …

I was working in my office, typing up some contracts and researching some prospective investment opportunities. Angela came in, her face pale. "Ang? What's up?"

"I went to get the mail, Boss, and um …" she sputtered. She walked over to me and grabbed my wrist. She tugged me to her desk and pointed to an array of photos littered on her desk. I reached into my pocket and put on a pair of gloves, picking up each photo. I could see why Angela was pale. There were pictures of Bella, Alice, my mother, Sue and Leah. Glued onto the photos were disgusting threats. One photo was even photo shopped to make it look like Bella had been violated, bleeding from every orifice and covered in … well, you could imagine.

"Was there a note?" I asked, my voice deadly. Angela nodded, pointing to the manila envelope. I picked it up, pulling out a typed letter.

 _Dear Mr. Cullen,_

 _Do we have your attention now? If you don't step down and step away from your_ family business _, these threats will come to fruition to the women in your family. I will take the greatest pleasure fucking every one of your beloved fiancée's holes until she dies. She's nothing but a whore._

 _Not to mention, contacting the police commissioner about your illegal dealings. Don't think that your pay offs and influence will stop me._

 _And do tell Emmett that his wife is being well cared for … she's in one of these pictures, too. Take a guess. I bet you could figure out which one …_

 _You know what to do, Mr. Cullen, or I will be forced to take action. I think I'll go for the weakest link._

"Get Seth on the phone. Now," I snapped. I picked up the photos and put them into a plastic bag. Angela handed me the phone. Her hand was shaking. "Thank you."

"Boss?" Seth barked.

"Get your mother and sister. Leave the city," I hissed. "Use one of your aliases, but leave."

"Boss? I don't understand," Seth growled.

"A threat has been made on our family and they're targeting Leah," I spat. "Do you have a passport?"

"Of course. My whole family does," he replied. "Should we leave the country?"

"Just leave. Go to one of the safe houses," I said, my heart stammering. "Stay underground, Seth. Protect your family. Protect Leah."

"Boss, you're freaking me out," Seth choked out.

"Send word once you've been settled. I'll talk to you, meet with you once you're out of Chicago," I said, my heart clenching. "I'm sorry."

"I'll be in touch, Boss," he said.

I hung up the phone, taking the photos with me. "Ang, call my father and Emmett. Get them and Jasper in my office."

"Sir, I'm in those photos, too," she whispered.

I spun around. I searched the photos, finding one of Angela, talking to her husband, Ben and cuddling her niece. I blanched. "You're on vacation until further notice, Angela," I said. I blinked up at her. "You understand?"

"Boss," she nodded, grabbing her purse and leaving hastily.

I tucked the photos back into the bag and I made my own call. Within an hour, my father, Emmett, Jasper and Garrett, Emmett's new bodyguard, were in the private conference room. Billy was patched through, using our secured network and on my computer. "Things are escalating," I said, tossing the packet onto the table. "This came to my office today. My _office_. My assistant, who is aware of my illegal dealings, but really involved, opened this. Her life was threatened. Seth's family was threatened and I sent him to a safe house."

Emmett picked up the photos, his hands also gloved. He blanched when he saw them. When he got to the photo shopped picture of Bella, his face was practically gray. "That's Rose's body," he said, holding up the picture. "Why would she …?"

"It's not our concern anymore, Emmett," Carlisle said. "She made her choice when she called Royce King. But, are you certain that's Rosalie?" Emmett nodded, pointing to a birthmark near her navel. "Well, this solidifies who our rival is. Royce King is trying to take us down."

"Anthony also said that Stephan is working with Royce, too," I muttered. "He said as much when I met with him when Bella was sick."

"He reiterated it when I met up with him at one of his clubs," Emmett sighed, tossing the photo on the table. "He vowed to be on our side if things start to become … more violent."

"We may need him," I sighed, scrubbing my face. "Royce and Stephan are going against the one rule we need to abide by and that's to protect our women. He's going after them, targeting them. I know Mom can protect herself, but Alice, Bella, Angela?"

"There's also this photo of The Swan Dive, too," Jasper said, pointing to a grainy photo of Jimmy's diner. "What was the name of Jimmy's girlfriend? The redhead?"

"Vicky or Victoria," I answered. "Normally, she'd served me at the diner. She was always so pushy, looking for a sugar daddy."

"But, she was dating Jimmy," Emmett said.

"Well, not anymore. Bella said that he kicked her to the curb, changed the locks and removed her from his life," I explained. "Do we have a team tracking her?"

"No, but I'll get on it," Billy said. "Do you know where Seth is going? He sent me a text saying he was 'disappearing.'"

"He's going to call me when he gets settled. He's taking his mom and sister out of the city," I sighed. "Leah was the first person threatened." My father read the note, his face pinched and his body tense. "What should we do? They're threats, notes, photos, but no action."

"They're gathering intelligence. We need to do the same," Carlisle said. "Billy?"

"I've been watching Royce, Stephan and Marcus since Christmas. They're pretty low-key, but their cronies are pretty fucking sloppy," Billy said. "A few of their dealers were arrested and the charges were not dropped."

"Good to know. Apparently, this threat about the police commissioner is a hoax. If he was in their back pocket, those dealers would be back out on the streets," Carlisle chuckled darkly. "But, we do need to let our guys know. They need to be on alert. I also want to interview a few of them. To see if anyone knows anything about this bullshit."

"Interview our guys or capture one of Royce's?" Emmett asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Both," I growled. "Dad, I'll handle the interrogation of Royce's cronies. Emmett, can you handle our guys?" My brother nodded, his jaw tight and his hands in fists. "Do we want to meet with Royce?"

"No. Not until he's actually acted on his threats," Carlisle sneered. "But, our women will be so well protected, they won't be able to." He blinked up. "Armed to the teeth, all of you. Start wearing your bullet proof coats. Go about business like normal, but take extra precautions. Emmett, when is your divorce hearing?"

"Two weeks," Emmett said. "Jenks worked some magic to make that happen."

"Jasper, I want you and Garrett on Emmett on that day. Edward, you work from home," Carlisle said. "I'll do the same. If this is Rose, Royce and Stephan might use this as a way to take out the whole family."

"But, how can he protected? There are no weapons allowed in the courthouse," I said.

"I'll get internal protection," Carlisle said, arching a brow. "But, you understand, right, Emmett?"

"I get it," Emmett nodded. "What about Rose?"

"She made her bed. She needs to lay in it," I said, narrowing my eyes at Emmett. "She could have been a mole. Billy, did you come up with anything when you searched Emmett's old place?"

"No, we didn't. We also extended our search to include the Fortress, your office and your cars. They were clean of any bugs," Billy said. "Rose may have already removed them, but we didn't find anything."

"I wish we could have interviewed her before you dumped her along the side of the road," I grumbled.

"She wouldn't have said anything," Emmett replied. "She could give the silent treatment like no one's business."

"Not if she's tortured," Carlisle said, smiling wickedly.

"That would make us no better than Royce," I snapped. "She's clearly being tortured already." I gestured to the picture. Carlisle sighed, nodding slowly. "Now, Jasper, Garrett, can you talk to Claire? She's the contact that Seth knows in the Chicago PD. See if there are any fingerprints on here. Angela's may be on here, but see if there are any other ones besides hers."

"Got it, Boss," Jasper said. "What about Bella, Esme, Alice and the rest of the people in those pictures? Alice, in particular?"

"I know that Alice won't go into hiding," Carlisle snorted. "She's got an important job at the hospital."

"We could make it so she's working with Doctors without Borders or sending her on a mission or something," I shrugged. "It'll give her an opportunity to take a leave of absence, but still be accessible to us."

"Let me talk to her," Jasper said, scrubbing his face. "I doubt she'll walk away from the hospital, even if it was for her own safety. She's fucking dedicated to her job and stubborn as a mule."

"Tell her about the threat, Jas. We love Alice as much as you do," Carlisle said. "She's a wonderful girl and a valued member of the family." Jasper made a face, but nodded. "I know that we're all afraid, especially since it's our family, our loved ones that are being targeted. We're used to being the ones in danger. But, seeing Bella, Alice, Esme … it's surreal. Royce, Stephan and whoever else is behind this, they will pay for their treachery, for their cowardice." My father blinked to me. "I know that Bella is still not a hundred percent, but we need to know what she's capable of."

"I'll take care of it," I said. "Billy, call if you hear anything. And make sure that Jacob is by Bella if she ever leaves the condo. If something …"

"I know, son. Jacob cares for Bella like a sister. He'd do anything for her," Billy said. "I'll be in touch." He ended the video conference.

Jasper collected the pictures, putting them back into the envelope and into a plastic evidence bag. He left with Garrett, heading to the precinct where Claire worked. I sat down heavily, my hands thrust in my hair. "This is bad. This is really fucking bad."

"We'll stop them," Carlisle said, his voice cold.

"Will we? It wasn't your wife in that picture," I spat. "It was Bella. They know how important she is to me."

"Edward Anthony," he snapped. I glared at him. His face softened and he blew out a breath. "I get that you're terrified. I am, too."

"I promise you that nothing will happen to Bella," Emmett whispered. "She's stronger than you think." I shot up, moving to the window and tried to calm down. "Ed, have faith in your family. We love Bella, too. She won't be touched."

"Just that photo … it's burned onto my brain," I whispered. "If something like that happened to Bella … I would murder the monsters who did that to her, but she'd …"

"Don't focus on that," Carlisle said. "She's fine. She's at home, working on her psychology papers. When you get home, hold her, love her and never let her go. We live in a dangerous world, Edward. I know that. You know that. Have faith in your family to protect you."

"Nothing will happen to her," Emmett said, his ice blue eyes glacial and angry. "I vow my life to protect her. Protect you." He pulled out a knife from his belt, slicing his hand. "A blood vow." He held out his knife. I took it, slicing my own palm. I grasped his hand and stared into my brother's eyes. "I love you, brother."

"I love you, too, Emmett," I whispered. We hugged and I let my brother shoulder some of the burden.

"Go home, Edward," Carlisle said. "What more did you have to do today?"

"Just paperwork. I can do that at home," I shrugged. I wrapped a handkerchief around my hand. Emmett did the same. "You want to come for dinner, Em?"

"I don't think so. I think you need your woman," Emmett said with a smarmy grin. "I'll bug the parentals."

"Oh, goody," Carlisle deadpanned, shaking his head at Emmett. He whipped out his cell phone. "Felix, meet me in the basement. Emmett will be joining us." He hung up and kissed my cheek. "Love you, son."

"Love you, too, Dad," I said, blowing out a breath. My brother and father left. I sat down, trying to calm down. I tightened my bandage on my hand, rubbing the cut with my thumb. My brother was on my side, even though his ex-wife had been the one in the photo. No love lost there, supposedly. With another deep breath, I went back to my office. I sent out a quick email about Angela's vacation to the staff, along with my intention from working from home for the rest of the week, before packing up my laptop. I put on my protective overcoat before I slung my bag over my shoulder. On my way out, I spoke briefly to Jessica, the woman in charge of reception. I asked her to patch any calls to my cell phone for the remainder of the week during the workday. With a wave, I rode down the elevator and got into my car.

I drove to my condo, parking in the garage and riding up to the Fortress first. Letting myself in, I walked into the wall of screens. Jacob was working on the computer. "Jake," I said. He turned, flashing me a wide grin. "Did your dad call?"

"He did. He told me about your meeting," he muttered. "That's some scary shit."

"Please, keep an eye out," I whispered.

"Boss, I love Bella like a sister. I would die for her, just like how I'd die for you, too," Jake said. "How bad?"

"Let's just say that they've got some sick minds and someone who is really good at Photoshop," I shuddered. I blinked, unseeing and the image of Bella … I gulped down bile.

"Boss, no one will touch her," Jake said, standing up and putting his hands on my shoulders. He frowned. "I promise you, Edward. I promise."

"Okay," I said. "I'm sorry. This is … I …"

"I get it," Jake smiled, kind and understanding. "But, those assholes will have to go through me." He smirked. "And I'm bulletproof."

"You keep telling yourself that, Jake," I snorted. "Thank you." I turned on my heel and rode upstairs to my Bella.

 **BPOV**

I was working on one of my papers. I was nearly done with the research and had written the abstract. I was reading an article, highlighting important statistics, when I heard the door open. I put the article down, coughing slightly and moved to see who was coming into the house. Jake said he'd come up for some lunch, but he never texted me. Edward was supposed to work until six tonight. "Hello?"

Edward turned the corner and he looked pale. His face was ashen and his eyes were haunted, empty. _"Dolce_ ," he said, walking toward me and pulling me into his arms. I felt his body tremble and I slid my arms around his shoulders. "I love you, Bella."

"I love you, too, Edward," I murmured. "But, you're scaring me."

"Just let me hold you," he choked out. He kissed my neck and pulled me flush to his chest. I melted against him, running my fingers through his thick, soft hair. He was muttering under his breath. He pulled back. His hands holding my face. "You're okay. Right?"

"I'm a little tired, but I'm fine," I said. "Edward, talk to me, baby." He stood up, taking my hand and guiding me into our bedroom. He shrugged off his overcoat. That's when I saw his hand. "What happened?" I took it and saw that it was bleeding through the loose bandage.

"Bella, I'm okay," he said. I growled at him, dragging him into the bathroom and pulling out once of Alice's heavily stocked first aid kits from the cabinets. I removed the bandage, pushing his hand underneath water and looking for what I needed. I gently put some peroxide on the wound, covering it with a gauze pad and wrapping it with some tape. "Thank you, _cara._ I could have done it myself."

"Well, I did it for you. Why do you have a slice of your hand missing?" I asked, hopping up onto the counter so I could look at him. He was just staring at me, his hands moving along my sides and constantly touching me, worried I'd disappear. "Edward, please tell me."

"I promise to, but I …" he breathed. "I need you, Bella. Please …?" I slid my hand around his neck and kissed him. His mouth crushed against mine. His tongue invaded my mouth and I moaned, pulling back since I was struggling in catching my breath. His lips moved to my neck, sucking and nibbling on the skin below my ear. I pushed his suit coat off his shoulders. My fingers made quick work of his shirt while he kissed down the column of my neck, his hands slipping underneath my sweater. He pulled back, tugging it off my body and staring at me. "I love you, Bella."

"I love you, too," I panted. He picked me up, carrying me from the bathroom and tenderly laying me on the bed. "Edward? Are you okay?"

"I will be," he said, sliding off his pants and boxers, joining me on the bed. "I'm sorry, _cara._ I promise to explain it all, but I need you. I need to feel you. To know that you're here, alive and that you love me." He gently kissed me, holding me to his naked body. I was confused by his comments, but I'd gladly give myself to him. He showed me, time and time again that I was the most important person in his life: when he rushed home when I was sick, the way he doted on me and still continued to dote on me. There was a reverence of his kisses, his touches and his whispered vows of forever.

His hands massaged my back as he moved his fingers to my bra. With a flick of his wrist, it was loosened and he removed it from my body. His mouth wrapped around my nipple and I moaned, my head falling back. His hands moved to my leggings, tugging them down my body, along with my panties. I guided his lips back to mine and I wrapped my hand around his cock. "Fuck," he grunted. I ran my hand along his length as his fingers teased my folds. "Baby, I need to be inside you. Please?"

I nodded against his lips and he moved, resting in the cradle of my hips. He looked at me. His eyes were so very green, swirling with love, devotion and fear. Something obviously spooked him. "Edward, I'm here," I whispered, my hands taking his face. "Feel me. Love me."

"Always," he said, lining up his cock with my entrance and pushing in. I gasped, my jaw dropping and I felt my body tingle with pleasure. "Oh, Bella. My Bella …" He dropped to his elbows and crashed his lips against mine. His body moved within me, filling every inch of my core. His movements were barely controlled. Our bodies were tangled and we were connected so intimately. "I'm never going to lose you. I can't …"

"Edward," I whispered. He gathered me in his arms and sat us up, with me in his lap. He never lost his connection with me. I didn't know where he ended or where I began. I clung to him as we moved in the most primitive of dances, the most beautiful way to show each other love. I could feel my body react to his, the pleasurable tingle that was spreading over my body, starting at where we were joined. "I'm … Edward, please, harder!"

He growled against my lips and held me up while he thrust his hips against me. I was losing control and I moaned loudly. His fingers moved to my ass, spreading it and teasing my rosette. "Come, my Bella. Come for me. Only for me, _cara,_ " he crooned. "I need to see you come all over my cock."

 _There's my dirty fiancée._

I gasped, my muscles clenching around him and my climax shooting through me like a shot. Edward groaned, my orgasm triggering his and spilling inside me. His hips slowed and he lowered me, but kept me on his cock. I wrapped my arms around his neck and inhaled his spicy, masculine scent. He kissed my shoulders, moved up my neck and brushed his lips against mine. "Hi," he said, giving me a calmer smile, but his eyes still looked terrified.

"Not that I mind, but what happened?" I asked, my fingers tracing his jaw.

"Just a bad day," he replied. "We got a package sent to the office." His fingers traveled up my spine and he brushed my hair away from my face. He kissed me again. "It was filled with photos. The photos, themselves, were not all that bad. With the exception of one, but I'll get to that. What freaked me out was what was written on them. They were threats, specific threats for each woman in the family, including women on the periphery."

"Like who?"

"Sue, Leah, my assistant, Angela," he answered. "In a letter, they said they would start with the weakest person first. That's Leah. I had Seth leave and he's bringing his family to a safe house until the threat has been neutralized."

"Who would want to harm Leah? She's harmless? An innocent," I growled.

"I know, Bella," Edward said. "That's why I told Seth to get out of here. He took his family and is disappearing, using an alias. He promised to contact me once he got settled, but it freaked us all out. That's not the worst of it." He closed his eyes and held me closer to his body. Then, he told me about a doctored photo. It was of me and I had been violated, then killed. I pressed my head to Edward's chest, as his voice cracked in fear. "I can't let that happen to you."

"You won't," I whispered.

"What makes it worse is that the picture was so real because they did violate someone," he choked it. "Emmett recognized a beauty mark and it was Rosalie. I don't know if she's still alive or not …"

"But, these monsters essentially used her, raped her, to get this photo," I hissed.

"I don't know the facts. She could have wanted it," Edward shrugged. "Rosalie did call Royce … when …"

"Emmett told me," I nodded. "So, you guys are certain it's Royce?"

"Him is a definite. My cousin, Anthony, also thinks that my uncle, his father, is working with Royce, as well. Marcus Volturi is an unknown, though. Is he involved or not?" Edward sighed, his hands gliding over my bare back. "But, the threat against the women in our family is very real. I know that Jake is with you, but I need you to be protected. That you're capable of protecting yourself."

"I'm a bit shaky now because of my bout with pneumonia, but I told you I can shoot a gun," I said, running my fingers through his hair.

"I want to see you. I need to know," he growled, crushing me to his body. "And once you're strong enough, I need you to start self-defense classes. I can't … losing you is not an option, Bella."

"Neither is losing you. You cannot sacrifice yourself for me. Edward, I love you just as much as you love me," I whispered. He crashed his lips against mine and we were lost in each other for another round of lovemaking. We didn't leave the bed, or get dressed for the rest of the night. We loved, caressed, touched, tasted and devoured each other until we both collapsed out of sheer exhaustion.

 **EPOV**

"Damn it," I grumbled, reading another email from Mike Newton and the same email from Tyler Crowley. They were having an invitation only night at their club, Bound and Gagged. I was the fucking guest of honor. Normally, Angela would have put the kibosh on that, but she was still on vacation for another week. I picked up my phone.

"Cullen," barked my brother. He'd been picking up the slack at the office.

"Did you get this email from Mike and Tyler?" I asked.

"Yeah. It looks like they're not taking no for an answer, bro," Emmett snickered. "I know you're terrified to go out, but people are starting to notice. I think going to this invitation only night at the club would be a great way to get back out in the public eye. We can control who gets the invites."

"You're a fucking genius, Emmett," I said.

"Nah, that's you, Mr. Mensa," Emmett snorted. "How was the latest nerd meeting?"

"Fuck you, asshole," I laughed. "Okay, I'll email them back and say that my fiancée and I will be attending. I'm assuming you're coming, too?"

"Going to a sex club alone?" Emmett grumbled.

"It's not a sex club," I snickered.

"Yes, it is. I overheard Jessica talking about it. She went there because she has a crush on Mike. She _played_ with Tyler and Mike in some private room," Emmett said. "She's going to this shindig, too."

"Emmett, maybe you can meet someone there," I suggested.

"Maybe. That is the day I'm going to court for the finalization for my divorce," Emmett said. "I may need some sort of outlet."

"Not one of the Denalis," I said.

"Ew, no. Not them. I made my one mistake with them and never again," Emmett shuddered. "Though, Tanya is sniffing around, sending me texts. Anyway, I'll go stag and perhaps find some sexy little submissive to have my wicked way with her." He cackled, hanging up the phone.

I rolled my eyes, turning back to my work and saving it. I sent a quick email back to Mike, accepting his invitation and saying that my fiancée would be joining me, as well. The party was week away. There were strict guidelines of what to wear. I'd have to take my girl shopping. I could just call Zafrina, but I wanted to get out of this condo. Though, I'd have Zafrina do some hard work for us. I sent her a text, asking her to pull some dresses for Bella and a few new suits for me for a shopping spree tomorrow.

I got up from my office and checked on Bella. She was typing at the dining room table while Mrs. Cope was making dinner. I slid into a seat across from my girl. "I'm almost done. I need to finish this section," she said.

"No worries," I chuckled as I watched her. Her brows were furrowed and she was biting her lip. With a flourish, she finished typing and closed her computer. "Are you really done?"

"I just have my conclusion to write and then yes," she said. "It's not due until the end of the term. So, I've got time. What's up?"

"The sky," I quipped. Bella pressed her lips into a thin line. "Sorry, you walked into that."

"You're hysterical, Cullen. A real comedian," she deadpanned, tossing a wad of paper at my head. I snorted. "Seriously, though … you came in here with a purpose. Either you want to ravish me on the dining room table or you want to talk. I'm hoping for the ravishing."

"Oh, my snarky girl," I snickered. "I'd love to ravish you, but I don't think Mrs. Cope's heart could take it. We're not very quiet."

"Or shy," she replied, getting up and sitting down on my lap. "We're both pervs and you love it."

"Hmmm, I do," I cooed, kissing her lips. "Anyhow, I do want to talk about a couple of things. Number one, we need to get out of the condo."

"Thank GOD! I was getting stir crazy," she sang. "Where are we going?"

"Well, we're going out tomorrow and going to see Zafrina," I answered.

"Shopping," she pouted. "I hate shopping."

"I thought most women loved shopping," I laughed. She twisted her lips and shook her head. "Well, we're going to see Zafrina. We've been invited to some invitation-only party at that new club I invested in – Bound and Gagged? There's a certain dress code."

"Do I need to wear some sort of bondage outfit?" Bella quipped.

"Tempting, _cara_ ," I smirked. "But, no. We need to wear black."

"I have black clothes, baby," she laughed.

"Do I need a reason why I want to spoil my fiancée?" I asked. "You said it. You're going stir crazy. So am I. We're meeting Zafrina to pick out something sexy and seductive for this party, which is in a week."

"I still hate shopping," she grumbled, "but, will Zafrina look the other way while we go at it in the dressing room?"

"We'll see," I snickered.

The rest of the evening was spent relaxing on the couch after dinner. Zafrina sent me a text saying that she cleared her afternoon to cater to our every whim.

 _Every whim?_

Oh, the possibilities.

 **BPOV**

Edward and I freaking perverts. We fucked each other stupid in the dressing room. He took me from behind, filling me and making me come, but I couldn't make a sound. It made my orgasm much more intense. He had the widest smile when he paid for my slinky, black leather dress and a new black suit for him. Before we went home, he took me to a jeweler. He wanted to get me something to wear with dress. I said I didn't need anything, but he was adamant. I ended up getting a platinum black diamond necklace along with a pair of black diamond earrings. Zafrina said she'd get me some shoes and accessories, sending them to the house.

A couple days later, Alice and Esme kidnapped me to treat me to a spa day. Jake, Felix and Jasper were assigned to us. We went to an expensive day spa where we got the full treatment – massages, facials, manicures, pedicures and hair treatments. I had my hair cut and some caramel-colored highlights.

"Are you feeling better, Bella?" Esme asked as we got pedicures.

"I still have to use the inhaler and I'm still taking the steroids that Alice prescribed," I answered. "I'm almost done. I'm feeling better, but I still get tired easily and I get winded easily. Naps have become my best friends as of late."

"I bet that hasn't stopped your perviness with Edward," Alice snickered.

"If Edward is anything like Carlisle …" Esme laughed. My eyes bugged out. "What? My husband is insatiable. And who knows, maybe a grandbaby would be growing in there."

"I'm still on birth control. I got my shot," I said. "And until I got the next shot, we used condoms. I can't believe I'm telling you this." Esme pouted. "I'm just getting over pneumonia, Esme. I know you want grandbabies. I want babies, too, but not now. Not with everything that's going on."

"She's right, Esme," Alice said. "Admit it. She's right."

"She is, but that doesn't mean I don't like it," she grumbled. "Though, it would make it easier to get your wedding dress made. No baby bump to contend with. We probably should make an appointment for you to try on dresses. Would you like your mom to join us?"

"Pssh, no," I laughed. "My mother is not in my life. She's a hateful, jealous, greedy woman who only worries about herself. Not me. Not her dead ex-husband. No one. I'm surprised she hasn't come sniffing around when the photo was printed in the paper, announcing our engagement shortly after the Black and White Benefit."

"I know that Carlisle has someone looking for her," Esme said. "When Edward said that your relationship was contentious, we didn't want her to come raise a stink. He hasn't found her. We checked, using public records from her previous filings to contest your father's will. There's another family living there and they have no forwarding address for your mom."

"Well, maybe she learned her lesson," I shrugged. "She's not going to win this will nonsense, not that there's much left. What little I had, I was using for books and supplies for school."

"Do you miss school?" Alice asked. "You seem much more relaxed."

"I do miss school, but I don't miss the work. I can't wait to use my degree for something good, but I have to earn it, first. My advisor was understanding and I think you laid it on really thick with the note you sent her," I teased Alice. "I was withdrawn from my classes, no penalty. I'm working on two independent studies, with papers due by the end of the semester. One is nearly completed. I just need to proof-read it. The other, I'm in the process of reading my research. I'm trying to determine how I want to spin the paper I'm writing. It's all very … clinical … but necessary work when it comes to therapy, psychology and determining what's the best way to help your patient."

Esme took my hand, smiling proudly. "Your patients are lucky to have you. You're a brilliant young woman, dedicated to her craft and I'm so happy you're in our lives."

I beamed at her praise. I murmured my thanks, keeping tears at bay. Alice, thankfully, saw my distress and prattled on about a treatment for one of the guys in the crew. I just closed my eyes, taking a few deep breaths and calming myself down.

After our spa day, we went to Alice's condo, which happened to be in my building, for dinner. Esme wanted us to go out, but Jake was hesitant since we were gone all day. Edward was getting anxious, as was Carlisle. So, we decided to go to Alice and Jasper's funky condo for tapas, sangria and more girl talk.

We also found some cute ideas for the wedding on Pinterest and finished choosing the pictures for our 'Save-the-Date' cards we were sending out. They were beautiful, showing the love we had for each other. We'd decided to have them done in the Chicago Botanic Gardens. It was too cold for my chest and way too dreary for the photos. So, we rented out the gardens for a morning, resulting in some absolutely gorgeous photos.

By the time we were done, I was a lot tipsy. Esme was full-on blotto and Alice was snoring on her couch. Jake escorted me back up to my own home while Felix drove Esme home. Edward picked me up and put me into bed. I was prattling on about how I wanted his cock. I was stripping out of my clothes, desperate for him.

Too bad I passed out before I got any …

 **EPOV**

"I got an email from Angela," Emmett said. "She's coming back on Monday." He was reading his emails on his cell phone. He was coming with Bella and me, in the bullet-proof SUV from my armada of cars. "You should probably do the same."

"I know," I said, smoothing my lapels. My suit was as black as pitch, cut to my body and hid my cache of weaponry. I had a shoulder holster with a semi-automatic handgun. Around my ankle, I had another smaller gun and my ever-present knife.

Bella was also going to be armed to the teeth. She'd proven herself to be a more than competent aficionado of handguns. With a glock, she was downright deadly. Jake also worked with her on some self-defense moves, but that was hindered by her constant coughing and need for her inhaler.

"Edward, there's been no word from Royce, Stephan or Marcus," Emmett said. "Seth contacted us. He's safe."

"He picked the perfect location," I snorted. "Bumfuck Forks, Washington."

"He's got a friend who lives on the La Push Reservation," Emmett smirked. "Paul Lahote?"

"I know him. He's worked for us before," I said. "He's a deadly assassin. A virtual ghost."

"A perfect guard for Sue and Leah Clearwater," Emmett said.

"How did it go today at the courthouse?" I asked. "With Rose?"

"She was a no-show," Emmett replied. "I was granted my divorce since her attorney was there, but she was noticeably absent." I rose my brows, shocked at her absence. "I have Jake looking into it, along with Billy and Felix. Maybe that photo that was sent was of Rose's dead body?"

"Let me know, Emmett," I whispered. "I'm so sorry …"

"You and Dad said she made her bed," he shrugged. "I'm washing my hands of her. She's the one who whored herself out. It ultimately got her killed."

"You don't know that."

"I don't know that she's still alive, either," Emmett said. "I want to have fun tonight, Ed. Talking about my ex-wife? Not helping."

"Alice, I look like a hooker," Bella hissed.

"Shut up, you do not!" Alice grumbled. "Rose looked like a hooker. You are at least a high-priced escort."

"Don't make me flog you. I know there's going to be implements for me to do so at this club," Bella snarked. She and Alice walked out. Alice was in a loose black dress, draped over her shoulder and a bright purple bra showing. She had on some purple booties and a purple flower in her hair. Bella did not look like a hooker or an escort, but like sin-incarnate. Her black leather dress was hugging every one of her delectable curves. Around her neck, she had on the necklace we'd purchased. It sat just above the swell of her breasts, which were out and proud thanks to the corset of the dress. Her hair was pulled back into a high, sleek straight ponytail and her earrings dangled from her ears. "I should just change. My tits are falling out." She cupped her breasts, making my brother groan behind me.

"Bella, you look stunning," I said, walking over to her and pulling her arms around my waist. "Priceless."

She smirked at me. "The red shoes were what made me feel like a hooker," she explained. "They're cute. Fucking high. It'll be a miracle if I don't break something." I picked up a red, floral wrap, putting it around her shoulders. "Yep, a high-class escort. Are you ready for a good time, big boy?"

"Only with you, _dolce_ ," I chuckled, kissing her nose.

We got into the car. Alice sat in the front with Jasper, while Emmett, Bella and I were in the back. Jasper dropped us off and said he was going to park the car. I gave him the passes for him and Alice. We went inside, heading directly up to the VIP lounge, with the onstage demonstrations and scantily clad women.

"Holy shit," Bella said, her arm threaded with mine. "They're fucking on stage. We're members of this club?"

"Only because we invested in this club," I explained.

"Mr. Cullen," crooned Mike. I turned to him, shaking his hand. He was dressed in a black suit, similar to mine, but with a white shirt underneath. "I'm so glad you could make it. I'm sorry you had to miss the grand opening."

"My fiancée, Isabella, was very sick and we couldn't make it," I said, gesturing to Bella. "Isabella, this is Michael Newton, one of the owners of Bound and Gagged."

He took her hand, kissing her knuckles. "You're gorgeous, Miss Isabella. Mr. Cullen is a very lucky man."

"I'm the lucky one," Bella said, smiling blandly. She slid her arm back under my elbow, pressing her body against mine. "This is quite a club, Mr. Newton. BDSM? Do you practice?"

"Yes, Tyler, my business partner, is also my dominant. My master," Mike said. He rolled up his sleeve and showed us a beautiful bracelet. "My collar. Do you practice, Miss Isabella?"

"I'm intrigued, but no," she replied.

"How about you, Mr. Cullen?" Mike asked Emmett.

"Uh, nope," he chuckled. "I don't know if I could handle the punishment aspect of the lifestyle. Spanking? Whipping?"

"That can be used as punishment, but also for pleasure," Mike smiled. "I could arrange for a demonstration."

"No, thank you," I said. "What are the rules? None of us are practicing the lifestyle …"

"You may watch the demonstrations, both in the private booths or on stage. There are rooms that you can rent if you want to experiment," Mike smirked. "But, you'd have to provide an up-to-date sexual history and STI screening, especially if you're going to play with one of our experts. If that's not to your liking, there's the fully functioning club downstairs."

"What if we want to …" I trailed off, my hand resting on Bella's ass. "Experiment, but not use your experts. We'd just want the room?"

"For you, Mr. Cullen, you just say the word and I'll make it happen," Mike replied. "It's because of you that this is all happening. Shall I show you to a booth?"

This is going to be fun …

 **A/N: To be continued in the next chapter. We're going to do some experimenting with each other. No, this will not become a BDSM story, just some sexual exploration. Role play, as it were. We're also going to have some drama, not that the pictures weren't drama, but some more scary drama.**

 **Pictures of Alice and Jasper's condo are on my blog, along with photos of the club, Bound and Gagged. The link for that is on my profile. I'm also on Facebook: Tufano79's Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation. Come hang out with us. We're fun. I'm also on twitter, too: tufano79.**

 **Thank you for reading and I'll see you on the flipside! XD**


	14. Chapter 14

**So, none of this is mine. I wrote the first chapter for a contest and now, I'm expanding it. What I own … a condo and too many books. What I don't … _Twilight_ and all its characters.**

 **To be continued in the next chapter. We're going to do some experimenting with each other. No, this will not become a BDSM story, just some sexual exploration. Role play, as it were. We're also going to have some drama, not that the pictures weren't drama, but some more scary drama.**

 **Chapter Fourteen**

 **EPOV**

"What are the rules? None of us are practicing the lifestyle …"

"You may watch the demonstrations, both in the private booths or on stage. There are rooms that you can rent if you want to experiment," Mike smirked. "But, you'd have to provide an up-to-date sexual history and STI screening, especially if you're going to play with one of our experts. If that's not to your liking, there's the fully functioning club downstairs."

"What if we want to …" I trailed off, my hand resting on Bella's ass. "Experiment, but not use your experts. We'd just want the room?"

"For you, Mr. Cullen, you just say the word and I'll make it happen," Mike replied. "It's because of you that this is all happening. Shall I show you to a booth?"

This is going to be fun …

 **BPOV**

Edward ordered us a bottle of champagne. It was strictly bottle service up in the VIP lounge, Mike boasted. _What the hell does that mean?_ I sipped my champagne, watching as a couple on stage was going through some bondage demonstration. The man was describing his every move as he twined the red rope around a naked woman, teasing and taunting her erogenous zones. Emmett was not paying attention to the demonstration, but looking at a woman at the bar, wearing a sophisticated black sheath.

"You should talk to her," Alice suggested. "She looks sexy."

"I don't know. What if she's like Rosalie?" Emmett grumbled, wrinkling his nose.

"You won't know unless you try, Emmett. What's the worst she could do? Say no?" I suggested. I looked over at the woman and she was eye-fucking Emmett. She was licking her lips, almost pleading him for him to go to her.

"Go for it, bro," Edward said.

"I think I met my fun for the evening," Emmett said to us, blowing out a breath. He finished all of his champagne, finishing Alice's, as well. "Don't wait up for me." He sauntered away, flirting with the woman. As he walked over, I could see the change in his demeanor. He was cocky and proud.

"He's quite confident, now," I mused to Edward.

"Really, he's not," Edward chuckled. "It's an act. A façade, really. Emmett developed late. He was a bit of a chubby kid with bad skin and the white kid's 'fro. He still sees himself as that portly kid with really bad hair and a pizza face. It cleared up with Accutane, a personal trainer and the right haircut."

"Everyone has their awkward phases. I looked like a boy until I was a senior in high school. Zero curves," I chuckled.

"You don't look like a boy now," Edward purred, his hand squeezing my ass. "You're gorgeous."

"I still look like a little kid," Alice chirped. "I still get carded. I'm closer to forty than I am to twenty-one! But, it's pretty fucking cool."

"The fact that you're pint-sized is also not in your favor, Alice," Edward teased. Alice flipped him off and he laughed.

"What was your awkward phase, Boss?" Jasper asked.

"Head gear," Edward snickered. "And coke-bottle glasses. I had Lasik done, but my vision was so poor, I still needed contacts and glasses to help with my vision. What about you, cousin?"

"Horrible BO," Jasper grumbled. "I had to take three showers a day, use a special deodorant and eventually had Botox in my pits to stop the sweat glands. After I got through puberty, it evened out, but I am still pretty sweaty."

"None of us are perfect," Edward shrugged.

"To imperfections," Alice said, holding up her champagne flute. "And overcoming them …"

"Imperfections," we all smiled, clinking our glasses together.

We watched the man conclude his demonstration, using the ropes and making the woman orgasm on stage. He guided her to a backstage area while the stage was reset with another set up. "Do we want to watch the next demonstration or explore?" Jasper asked. From his wrinkled nose, it would appear that he wanted to explore.

"Let's dance," Alice chirped. "Then, come back here when we're tired?"

"Or horny," I quipped. "Didn't Mike say we could use the rooms?"

Edward just waggled his brows, finishing his champagne. We spoke to our server and our table would be reserved. Heading downstairs to the club, we were shocked at the amount of people on the dance floor. It moved like a living, breathing organism. Suspended above the dance floor were scantily clad dancers, both male and female, writhing to the pulsating bass of the techno music. Alice and Jasper disappeared onto the dance floor while Edward and I stayed on the perimeter. Edward slid behind me, his arms loosely around my waist. "Do you want to go out there?" Edward asked.

"Hmmm, not yet. Way too many people," I chuckled, threading my fingers with his. "And I don't dance. I have two left feet."

"I disagree," he purred, his hands moving to my hips and rolling them to the music. "You are dancing now." His lips wrapped around my earlobe and he hummed lowly. "You are so fucking sexy, Isabella. Pure sin in your dress. I want to slide it up and fuck you."

I let out a whimpered groan, pressing my ass against his crotch, his arousal was pressed between my cheeks. I felt his breath on my neck, his lips beneath the hollow of my ear. "Edward," I gasped. He smiled against my neck, moving us in concert to the music. Slowly, he turned me around and slid his thigh between my legs. I draped my arms over his shoulders, rolling my body with his. His movements were smooth, sensual. His hands rested on my ass and he stared at me, hungry and swirling with desire.

"You're so beautiful, _dolce_ ," he growled, kissing my lips and rocking me over his growing erection. He pulled away, taking my hands and guiding me out to the dance floor. He tugged me flush to his body, cupping my ass. I smiled, toying with his hair at the nape of his neck. We moved with the surging bodies around us. "I bet I could make you come, Bella, dancing with you …" He positioned me over his muscular thigh. My skirt, which was already dangerously short, inched higher. "I can feel how wet you are, baby against my thigh."

"As I can feel how hard you are," I purred. "Together?"

"I want to explore one of those rooms. Fucking you …," Edward chuckled darkly. I blushed and rocked against his thigh. He kissed me, his tongue sliding into my mouth. My body clenched as he moved me over his leg. I could feel the knot in my stomach grow tighter. "You're so wet, my _dolce._ You're ruining my pants."

"You're ruining my panties," I purred. I looked at him. His green eyes were dangerous, sexy, seductive. "I think we need to talk to Mike. I don't know if I can wait …" He crashed his lips against mine and dragged me off the dance floor.

"Mr. Cullen," said a handsome chocolate-skinned man. "I'm so glad you could make it."

"Mr. Crowley. You have a hopping club," Edward said. "May I introduce my fiancée, Isabella Swan."

"A pleasure, Miss Swan," Mr. Crowley smiled, nodding his head. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Michael mentioned the use of your private rooms?" Edward said, arching a brow and smiling darkly.

"My delightful little sub did mention your arrangement," Crowley chuckled. He reached into his pocket, pressing something into my fiancé's hand. "Room eighteen. Just for you."

"Is there video recording?" Edward asked.

"There is, but we can turn it off, Mr. Cullen."

"No," I smirked. "You said you wanted to record us fucking, lover. Can you give us the recording? I can promise you a hefty payment …"

"Done, Miss Swan. I'll head up to security now," Crowley smiled. "I will burn you a DVD and erase the footage."

Edward smiled, dark, dangerous. "You better, or this club will not be around for very long," he growled. "Do you plan on watching?" Crowley shook his head, clearly afraid of Edward. "Good man. My fiancée's body is for my eyes only." He blinked over to me, his dark smile turning into something sexy, carnal. I blushed a deep red. We went back up to the VIP level. Mike was waiting for us, handing Edward something, whispering in his ear. Edward's eyes glinted wickedly as we rode up another level to the rooms. We walked down the long hallway, reaching the last room. Edward opened the door, helping me inside. He tapped something on his cell phone. "I don't want Alice and Jasper to have a heart attack," he chuckled. "Holy shit."

I looked around the room. It was painted a blood red color. There were implements commonly used for the BDSM lifestyle, including a whipping bench, a St. Andrew's cross and an array of floggers, whips, canes and such. "What did Mike give you?"

"Tyler told Mike that he was going to record us, but Mike handed me a small flip video recorder," Edward said, pulling out a black camera. "It would appear the owners of the establishment are quite the exhibitionists and voyeurs. Mike also said that this room is for us alone. No one else will use this room. The only other people who will enter will be the cleaning crew. But, the items in here, are for us to use." He tugged on my hand, walking to an ornate armoire. Using the keys, he unlocked it and there were toys …

"Oh, my," I breathed.

 **EPOV**

"Oh, my," Bella gasped. "What the fuck is that?" She pointed to a conical shaped thing. She picked it up and it was squishy, like jelly.

"I think it's an anal plug," I answered. She squeaked, dropping it back in the drawer. "All of this stuff is new and the guys assured me that items like plugs, vibrators and such, they would be removed and replaced with each new couple in the rooms, or the couples could bring their own toys."

She wrinkled her nose. "This place is sexy and I like that this is _our_ room," she replied. "Can other patrons purchase rooms?"

"It was included in their business plan. That's why they wanted this building. Room to grow," I said. "There's another four floors in the building that can be converted into rooms like this. Now, enough about their business plan. I distinctly remember my gorgeous fiancée begging to come up here because she needed me."

She bit her lip and closed the doors to the armoire. "I don't want any of that. I just want you. And I want explore this whole need to record me." She kissed me, her tongue sliding between my lips. "I'm yours to command."

I slipped the camera out of my pocket and turned it on. "Anything I want?" I asked. She nodded, her lip captured between her teeth. I opened the armoire, turning on the sound system. Some pulsating, sultry jazz filled the room. "Dance for me." I kept my eyes on her as she swayed her hips, her eyes fluttering shut. I moved around her, zooming in on her ass and easing the camera up to her cleavage. "You're so fucking sexy, Isabella."

"I beg to differ," she cooed, leaning forward and shimmying her breasts with her hands. "You are sin incarnate, Edward. You're so big, strong, and …" Her hand slid up my thigh before she gripped my cock. "Hung like a fucking horse. I can't wait to feel your cock in my pussy."

"All in good time, baby," I said. "Are you comfortable in that dress?"

"Do you not like my dress?" she asked, turning around. "You took me so hard in the dressing room after I tried it on."

"I love your dress. But, I would love it more on the floor," I chuckled, staring at her. She looked over her shoulder coyly and unzipped the soft, pliant leather. I could see the top of her panties and she was not wearing a bra. Sliding the straps down her arms, she rolled her body and her dress fell to her feet. She was wearing a pair of sheer lacy panties. "Turn around, Bella." She did, her arms covering her breasts. "Don't be shy, my love."

"What if someone sees us?" she asked, her eyes blinking up to me.

"Someone already is," I growled. "Mike and Tyler are watching us, Bella. Though, I think they're more interested in my body than yours. Show me your tits."

She uncrossed her arms, palming her breasts and squeezing her nipples. "Do you like that, Edward?"

"Very much," I said, moving closer and sliding my arm around her waist. I kept the camera on our faces as I kissed her, my tongue invading her mouth. "Sit down on the tantric chair, love. Keep the heels on and spread your legs." I kissed her again, sucking on her lower lip. She stepped back, sauntering to the black leather tantric chair in front of the armoire. She sat down. Her legs were spread, but not as wide as I would like. "Move forward and spread them further apart. I want to see how wet you are."

"You are so fucking perverted," she chuckled, moving forward and spreading her legs wide. She looked down and hummed. "As I suspected, my panties are ruined." I crouched down, zooming in on her pussy. "I'm so wet, Edward. It's dripping down my thighs."

"If your panties are ruined, why keep them?" I asked. "Take them off and give them to me." She arched a brow, standing up and rolling her body as she removed her lacy underwear. She placed the ruined lace into my hand. The crotch was soaked through. "Fuck, baby."

"Yes, I want you to fuck your baby," she cooed.

"Not yet," I said. "Unbuckle my pants. Take out my cock, Isabella."

"Ooooh, kinky," she laughed, removing my belt and sliding my cock out from my boxer briefs.

"Suck me," I commanded. She smiled seductively and wrapped her lips around my hardness. "Yes, baby. I love your pretty little mouth on my dick." Her hands were on my hips and she began bobbing her head. With my free hand, I gripped her ponytail. She moaned around me, her fingernails digging into my skin. "Oh, Bella. Your mouth … feels so fucking good." She released me, grasping the base and swirling her tongue around the head. She teased my slit and I hissed. Her fingers moved from the base to my balls, cupping them. She licked the length of my cock, tracing the vein on the underside of my shaft. "Fuck … Bella …"

She wrapped her hand around my dick, pumping it. "You like me sucking your cock, baby?" I nodded. "Do you want to come? Claim my mouth?"

"Fuck, yes, Bella," I growled. "Suck my dick. Take it all." She smiled wickedly, plunging her mouth around me and torturing me with her lips, teeth and tongue. Too quickly, I felt my body tremble and my balls tighten. When Bella caressed my balls and ran her teeth along my length, I exploded, coming into her mouth. She growled around me, sucking down all I had to offer. She released me with a pop, grinning widely. "You look like the cat who got the cream."

"That's because I did," she chuckled. I went to the fridge, getting some water for her. She sipped it and she looked up at me. "Want more, Mr. Cullen?"

"I plan on fucking you, but I need some recuperation time," I said. "Lay back on the chair and spread your legs. I want you to play with your pussy." I knelt down at the edge of the chair and Bella leaned back, her legs wide apart. Her pussy was swollen, wet and needy. "You're so gorgeous."

"Smooth talker," she chuckled, her hand idly tracing circles above her mound. Lowly, I told her where I wanted her fingers. Bella moaned, as she used her left hand to circle her clit. "I'm so wet, Edward."

"Taste it, Isabella," I growled. She smiled, removing her hand and sucking her fingers into her mouth. She whimpered, moving her hand back to her pussy and continued circling her clit. "Put two fingers inside …" She licked two fingers on her right hand and slid them into her body. "Yes, like that."

"Is this what you feel when you fuck me?" she purred, sliding her hand in and out.

"What I feel is indescribable. I never want to be separated from you," I growled, my hand caressing her thigh. "Have you ever tried making yourself squirt?"

She bit her lip and shook her head. I instructed her how to curl her fingers up to the spongy spot inside. Bella, unfortunately, couldn't reach it. "Keep your fingers on your clit while I make you come so hard," I commanded. She jerkily circled her clit as I eased two fingers into her and curling my fingers upward. She moaned, her head falling back. I kept the camera trained on her sex as I pounded my hand in her pussy.

"Edward," she moaned. "Fuck, so good."

"Keep touching your clit, Isabella. I want you to come. I want you to soak this chair." She whimpered, her hips moving along with my fingers. I could feel the increase of her wetness. "That's it, baby. Let go." Her moans grew more animalistic as she began to lose control. "Fuck, Bella. Come for me." She screamed, my hand pushed out as she haphazardly stroked her clit, sending her stream of arousal out of her body. "Yes, Bella. You're so fucking beautiful when you come." Seeing her body react to our ministrations, made my own cock grow and he was ready for action. I threw off my t-shirt and straddled the chair. I lifted Bella's legs, grasping my arousal and running it along her slit.

"Edward, fuck me," she pleaded. "Please. I need you inside, baby."

"Never beg, Bella. I'm yours," I whispered, positioning myself at her entrance and thrusting forward. She gasped, staring at me. "You're so tight, Bella."

"Hmmmm," she moaned. "Love you, Edward. Make me yours. Always."

I stopped filming and picked her up, allowing my cock to fill her completely. "Move with me, Bella." She kissed me, rolling her body with mine. Her fingers tangled into my hair and we rocked together, sharing one body. I held her ass as we kissed hungrily, lips and teeth tangling hungrily. I eventually pushed her back and pounded into her, lost in her perfection. Our bodies showed our love for each other and with a rush of endorphins, arousal and most importantly, love, we tumbled over the edge together. Bella's legs fell open and I rested against her chest, my heart stammering. "I never imagined it could feel this good, Bella."

"Making love?" she asked, her fingers toying with my damp hair. I nodded. "Having sex is a way to get off, yes, but there's an emptiness to it. Sharing your body, giving a part of your soul to the one that you love, is so much more. When I first met you …" she trailed off and I knew she was talking about our _agreement_ , "… I never expected to fall so hard for you. Now? I can't imagine a life without you."

"Me neither, _cara._ I love you more than words can describe," I whispered, leaning up and brushing my lips against hers. She sighed contentedly. "Now, we should probably clean up."

"I wonder if there's something for me to change into," she said as I slid out of her. She whimpered, pouting adorably.

"I know, love. I miss the connection, too," I said, tugging on my pants. I swiped her panties, stuffing them into my pocket.

"You are a pervert!" she laughed. "Those are my dirty skivvies."

I waggled my brows, opening up the armoire. I found a pair of yoga pants and a black tank top. Bella gratefully took them, disappearing into the bathroom. I made quick work of cleaning up the chair and spraying some air freshener. The tang of sex hung heavily in the air, but I loved it. I wouldn't be quite so sure if the cleaning crew would feel the same. I put on my shirt and checked with Emmett and Jasper. Emmett, it would seem, contacted Garrett and was on his way home. I asked Jasper to get the car, pulling around the back. Folding Bella's dress over my arm, I helped her into my jacket. We left, locking the room. Mike met me at the rear entrance. He handed me a DVD. "Erased?" I asked, arching a brow. "Because if it's not and that tape gets leaked … you won't have kneecaps."

"Yes, sir," Mike smiled. "But, you are a beautiful man. Watching you with your fiancée … it made me and Tyler have a little fun of our own in the security office."

"I'm glad we could oblige," Bella giggled. "Now, that was just the beginning. We fully intend to continue our fun at home where clothing is optional. Come, lover."

"I intend to, _dolce_ ," I laughed. "Thank you, Mike and thank you for the room. We will definitely be using it. Exploring it."

"We are at your service, Mr. Cullen," Mike smiled. He picked up Bella's hand, kissing her knuckles. He shook my hand. My cell phone chirped and I saw that Jasper was there. "Thank you for coming, Mr. Cullen."

"My pleasure. I hope that you will be able to continue along this same vein for the future of Bound and Gagged," I smiled. "It's a moneymaker." I opened the door, helping Bella into the backseat. With a wave, we drove back to the condo. Upon our return, clothes were strewn all over and we made love on every single flat surface inside, falling asleep on the couch, tangled together and still joined intimately.

 **BPOV**

I was working on my second paper. I was nearly finished. I'd turned in the first one, receiving excellent marks on it, along with an invitation to further explore my research. Though, I wasn't going to take the invitation. It was dealing with sexual predators, whom I did not want to work with. I wanted to work with kids, teenagers. So, I was pouring myself into this paper, which was essentially want I wanted to do with my life. Though, my new job as a mob wife might put a hindrance on that but, no harm in trying.

Perhaps I could work at the hospital with Alice … or, provide counseling to all of the guys who have to kill their enemies, suffering from PTSD or some shit.

My phone rang. "Bella's psychological emporium … my brain is fried, how about I try shrinking yours," I quipped.

"Funny, Bella," Esme laughed. "I think you should consider being a comedian."

"Nah," I snorted. "How are you, Esme?"

"I'm good. Very good, actually. I was wondering if you were free today?"

"I am. If I stare at this computer any longer, I may just gouge out my eyeballs and put them into a salad for lunch," I deadpanned.

"Paper not going well?" she asked.

"It's going great. I have it mapped out and the abstract written. I just hate reading the articles in order to prove my point," I sighed. "But, I'm at a good stopping point. What's up?"

"Well, Alice is off, which is a rarity," she chuckled. "I was wondering if you would like to go out with us and go shopping for your wedding dress. We need to order it as soon as possible. Before you know it, it'll be August and you'll be without a dress, having to wear something off the rack."

"Perish the thought," I laughed.

"Isabella," Esme growled. "You need a dress. I'm thinking something ivory, strapless and form-fitting."

"Not a poufy, princess dress?" I asked.

"I wore that and it was hell. I had to have three girls help me pee," Esme grumbled. "I'll be there in an hour, with Alice. Call Jacob and tell him the fun we're planning."

"He'll be jumping for joy," I snorted. "A day of dress shopping! I'll see you in a bit, Esme." I hung up and sent Jacob a text. _You love me, right? ~ B_

 _Like a sister, Bells. What do you want? ~ J_

 _Oh, just your first-born child … or a day of protection, whilst wedding dress shopping ~ B_

 _I'll buy you beer. The good shit you like. I promise! ~ B_

 _It sounds like fun. You may need a male point of view. When are you going? ~ J_

 _Esme and Alice are on their way. I'm going to make myself presentable. Can you text my boo for me? ~ B_

 _Who?! ~ J_

 _Edward, goofball! My boo = fiancé. The Boss. YOUR boss ~ B_

 _Oh, got it. I'll do that now and get the car ready. Text me when Miss Esme arrives ~ J_

I went into the bedroom and took a quick shower, but didn't wash my hair. I dressed in a pair of leggings and a tunic. I braided my hair, laying it over my shoulder before I put on some simple makeup. I slid on my engagement ring and the necklace Edward gave me to wear with my leather hooker dress. It was beautiful to be worn daily, but dressed up my outfit. When I was finished, I picked up a pair of booties and padded out to the living room.

"Do you have a strapless bra?" Alice asked.

"Holy shit!" I barked, tossing my shoes toward her. "You bitch!"

"I have a key, dipshit," she snorted. "And throwing booties? Really smart. Were you hoping that the heels would impale me?" I glared at her, reaching into the console table and drawing out one of the many weapons Edward had at the ready. I hated to use them, to be honest, but with the real threat on my life, on our lives, it was a necessity. "Okay, but can you shoot me?"

"Would you like a demonstration?" I deadpanned, releasing the safety. "I'd really rather not shoot my matron of honor, but since you're being a pain in my ass … it's fucking tempting."

"I'm your matron of honor?" Alice squealed, rushing toward me and ignoring the loaded weapon in my hand. She threw her arms around my neck, bouncing on her toes. I put the safety back on, placing the gun back into the console table and hugged her. "I have so many ideas for your bachelorette party."

"Hmmm, me too. There isn't going to be one," I chuckled. Alice pouted. "Alice, I find male strippers to be icky. I don't like to drink, clubs aren't my thing and you know Edward won't let me go to a club without protection. Unless we can get Jake to act like a male stripper and carry a concealed weapon, it ain't happening, sister."

"I just walked into the tail end of the conversation," Esme chuckled. "Jacob, you're a male stripper?"

"Excuse me, what?" Jake squeaked, his eyes widening comically.

"Didn't you hear? You're the entertainment for my bachelorette party. Shake your money maker," I cheered.

"I don't think the Boss would like that, Bella," he sputtered. "Um, I'm going to get the car." He damn near sprinted out of the condo. I smacked Alice.

"Why are you smacking me?" she scowled.

"Because you're the idiot who wants to throw me a bachelorette party and now, I freaked out my body guard," I said, wrinkling my nose.

"Oh, bachelorette parties are so tacky. We're having a lingerie shower instead," Esme smirked. "I have a friend of mine who is a representative for Heavenly Bodies, this upscale lingerie line that caters to the rich and pervy. It'll be perfect and close to home, which will please both Carlisle and Edward."

"Why do I get the sneaking suspicion that you own several pieces, Esme?" I quipped.

"Too many to count," Esme snickered. "Come on. Zafrina is meeting us as this private bridal salon."

"Zafrina? I thought she worked for Nordstrom?" I asked.

"She does, but she also is hired by our family to keep us looking good. She's off today and will be helping you try on the various dresses. Do you know what type of silhouette you'd like?" Esme asked. I looked at her blankly. Esme waved her hand in front of my face. "Are you there?"

"Does not compute. Silhouette? You just started speaking in code. I don't know what you mean!" I laughed as we rode down to the basement. Alice got into the front seat next to Jacob while Esme and I sat in the back.

"How do you want to look on your wedding day? Poufy princess dress or something more form-fitting?" Alice asked.

"Definitely not poufy princess," I said, making a face. "I'm not that kind of girl. I liked the shape of the dress I wore for the ball."

"That's too sexy," Esme said. "You have a beautiful body and it would look gorgeous on you. Not much would look bad since you're so slender, but with the right number of curves."

"And Edward loves those curves," Alice sang.

"Seriously, Alice. You really want a bullet in your ass," I snorted. She just cackled. "But, honestly, I know I don't want to look like a bell. Something that's close to my body, but not completely suctioned to every imperfection."

"Do you want straps? Sleeves?" Esme asked.

"Straps would be fine, but I kind of like the idea of strapless," I shrugged. "Timeless, elegant, but with sex appeal. But no princess poufy crap. I'm not a princess."

Jacob stopped in front of some sleek building. We clambered out and Esme pressed a button. She spoken smoothly in Italian to whomever was on the other side of the tinny speaker. The door buzzed and we went inside. We rode up to the top floor of the building. The entire floor was the salon, with shades of white, cream, ivory, and soft grey all around us. Zafrina walked over to Esme, kissing her cheeks. "So, happy you're here, Zafrina," Esme sang.

"I'm happy to be here," Zafrina smiled. "I never thought I'd see the day where Edward would get married. I'm glad it's to you, Bella. You're his match, in every way."

"Now, do we have champagne? This is a joyous occasion," Esme said. A petite woman with a short haircut and a pair of funky glasses walked over, holding a tray with four glasses. "Thank you, sweetie. And you are?"

"I'm Kylie and I'm one of the seamstresses here," she replied. "Lauren will be helping you today."

"Excellent," Esme smiled. "Lauren is a fabulous designer and she's not a bitch."

"High praise," I deadpanned, taking a sip of my champagne.

"She's also a dear friend," Esme chuckled. "You'll like her. You both share that snarky wit."

I heard the distinct clopping of heels and I turned around. Lauren was as tall as Zafrina, who was easily close to six-foot, in heels. Where Zafrina was exotic with caramel-colored skin, grey eyes and flowing black hair, Lauren was pale, with white-blonde hair and blue eyes. She was an Icelandic princess. "Is this chick nicer than that Rosalie bitch?" Lauren asked, arching a brow. "Because, if you brought another whiny, pissy, bratty …"

"I think we're going to be great friends," I laughed. "Rosalie is long gone and I'm the total opposite. I have a personality."

"Fuck the champagne, then!" Lauren sang, hugging me and kissing my cheeks. "You like scotch? Let's have some scotch. KYLIE! I NEED SCOTCH! THE GOOD SHIT!"

"I told you that you'd like her," Esme laughed, smiling at me. "Now, let's get my new daughter set for her wedding. We don't have much time."

"Bun in the oven?" Lauren asked as Kylie scurried over. Lauren handed me a tumbler and she held one herself

"Would I be drinking if I was?" I snorted, sipping my scotch. _Fucking smooth, with the perfect amount of smokiness._

"Good point," Lauren nodded. "Come on. You're my project and your fiancé won't be able to keep his hands off you." She slammed back her drink and tugged on my hand, dragging me to the racks upon racks of white wedding dresses.

 **EPOV**

"Edward, Tyler Crowley is on line two," Angela said.

"Thanks, Ang," I replied, picking up the phone. "Crowley! How are you?"

"Excellent, Mr. Cullen," he answered.

"I told you. You saw my naked ass and probably got sucked off to it. Please, call me Edward," I snickered.

"Of course, Edward," Tyler spluttered. "I was wondering if you had a moment. I have an idea that I'd like to run past you."

"Shoot," I said.

"Bound and Gagged is doing _really_ well. Better than we'd ever imagined, really. We recently began working on converting the next floor into more of those rooms that you and …"

"I get it," I interrupted, blushing. "What's up?"

"Well, after speaking with members of our community, we realized that there isn't much of an established community in Chicago. But, with the popularity of the club, we've had several people ask us about the lifestyle. Attached to our building is a shop that's going under. They're willing to sell us the space, but for cash. All of our cash is tied up with the club, with our servers, vendors and such," Tyler explained. "We'd like to open up a shop, providing members of our community high-end, BDSM paraphernalia and clothing, including a jewelry designers for collars, classes on how to live this lifestyle, and support groups for Doms/subs and dabblers. BDSM gets such a bad reputation about being glorified abuse. It's not! This lifestyle is beautiful."

"How much is the shop?" I asked.

"Half a mil," Tyler said. "That includes a little less than thirty thousand square feet, an adjacent parking lot and a storage unit. I hate to ask for this assistance, but speaking as a member of the community, it's lacking. This is something that people need."

"Would you have it set up, with people purchasing a membership?" I asked.

"Yes. To enter the shop, you don't need a membership. That would be too exclusive," Tyler explained. "But, to access the classes, support and to be maybe matched with a Dom or a sub, that would come at a cost. To rope it in with the club, we'd give them a discounted rate to enter the club based on their membership status."

"I'll front you the money, Tyler. But, before you can move forward, I need to see a detailed business plan for this shop/community center," I said. "Get a contract for the sale price and I'll have a cashier's check delivered. I'm doing this for you because you catered to my whim with my fiancée."

"We aim to please our members and it was our pleasure to provide that safe opportunity for you to do so, Edward," Tyler said. "Please, contact us again when you want to …"

"I will," I chuckled. "When can I expect to hear from you regarding the contract?"

"By the end of business tomorrow," Tyler answered. "Thank you, Mr. Cullen. The BDSM community appreciates it, even if they don't even know it yet. Also, Mike is working on that business plan. I figured you'd want to see where we were going with the shop."

"What are you going to call it? Bound and Gagged?" I asked.

"Tied Together," Tyler answered. "Or something like that. The name is a work in progress. Thank you, again, Edward."

"You're welcome. I look forward to seeing what you come up with," I smiled. I hung up, leaning back. Angela walked in, looking a lot tanner, but still wary. "How are you doing, Angela?"

"Meh," she shrugged. "But, the bruisers you have parked in front of our brownstone help a little."

"I don't want anything to happen to you, or to anyone in my family, Ang," I frowned.

Angela closed the door and sat down. "Look, I'm not stupid, Edward. I know what you do," she said. "I also know you do a better job than the cops in this town. Those pictures scared the fuck out of me. Someone was close enough to see that I have a mole at my hairlines and that my engagement ring is a halo setting. But, I trust you. I know you're doing everything to keep me safe, keep your family safe. You think I didn't notice the increase in burly, but educated guys in the office? Most of which carry concealed weapons?"

"That's Emmett's doing. Not mine," I snorted. "But, he's just as freaked out as I am. The fact that this threat is focusing on the women in our lives is abhorrent."

"Why?" she asked.

"It's some sort of unwritten rule that women are untouchable," I explained. "That's not to say that most of the women in my life can't kick ass and take names."

"And I'm one of 'em," Angela laughed. "I'm a sixth-degree black belt."

"Good to know," I snorted. "But, when you leave, please make sure you take one of those burly, but educated guys who carry concealed weapons with you?"

"Got it, Boss," she winked. "You've got a meeting with a possible client at three and then you're done for the day."

"Who's the client?" I asked. "Or potential client?"

"An older woman, wanting to open up a used bookstore," Angela said. "It's not your normal clientele, but I figured you'd need something different from the usual assholes that come parading in here. I've read her business plan. She's got a location, the stock, and employees, but doesn't have the start-up capital."

"Where?" I asked. "Where does she want to put this bookstore?"

"Little Italy," Angela beamed. "She grew up there and recently moved back. She also contacted the university and has a preliminary contract with them to be a bookstore for University of Illinois at Chicago, if she can get the loan she needs. The banks denied her because she had a run-in with some insurance issues. I don't know the details, but it sounds shady."

"Shady as in the woman is shady or the bank is shady?" I asked.

"The bank. That's why she wanted to talk to a private investor. I think it was Jimmy who sent her our way," Angela said. "Bella's uncle?"

"Well, a friend of Jimmy is a friend of ours," I snickered. "Did you run a background check on her, though?"

"She's clean," Angela said, handing me a folder with her information. "She'll be here in an hour and then you're done for the day, Boss. Read that over."

"Thanks, Ang," I said, opening the file and reading the information about Giovanna Moretti. When she arrived an hour later, I was pleased with her plan and how she presented herself. She was about ten years older than me, a widow and wanted to move closer to her parents, who were both aging and not very healthy. Her children were in college and were supportive of this move, even vowing to come work for their mother during their summers off. I signed off on her plan, shaking her hand and asking Angela to begin the paperwork to get the ball rolling for the cashier's check to purchase the storefront, along with an apartment just above it.

When I was done filling out the paperwork and rearranging funds, I packed up my bag and checked on Angela. She was leaving as well. I rode down to the parking garage with her. Jasper and I escorted her to her car and she waved as she drove away. As we walked to my SUV, my cell phone rang. It was Bella. " _Dolce,"_ I sang.

"Edward," she croaked.

"What is it? Bella, what's wrong?" I asked.

"The Swan Dive … it's gone!" she sobbed.

"What do you mean?"

"It's been blown up," she cried. "And I can't get a hold of my uncle. Edward … I can't lose him."

"Where are you?" I asked.

"Home, but I want to go to the diner," Bella whimpered.

"Don't, baby. I'm going to check it out," I whispered. "I promise, I'll do everything to make it okay. Your uncle is probably fine and his phone was …" I blew out a breath, a tear slipping from my eye. "I love you. Stay there. Is anyone with you?"

"Alice, Esme, Zafrina and Lauren," she sniffled. "I was trying on wedding dresses … Please, find him, Edward. He's all I have left."

"I'll do everything …" I trailed off. "I love you. So much, Bella."

"I love you, too," she sobbed, ending the call.

I blinked over to Jasper. "Well?" I asked.

"The entire block's been shut down. The diner is not even there anymore," Jasper said. "I don't know if Jimmy was working, but if he was …" He grimaced. "I'm sorry, Boss."

"Don't say that yet," I growled. "I'm not going to have Bella's last living family be … Let's go. Use Claire, find out all you can."

"Got it, Boss," Jasper nodded as he backed out. I sent a prayer, hoping that Jimmy was okay. He had to be okay.

 **A/N: Don't hate me! The cliffie will be resolved, soon enough. What do you think will happen to Jimmy? The Swan Dive?**

 **Pictures of Zafrina, Lauren, Bound and Gagged and options for Bella's wedding dress are on my blog. I got a bunch of options from my followers on Facebook: Tufano79's Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation … I'm still debating, but I know that princess poufy (the bell-shaped dresses) are not going to fly. Sleek, sexy, but timeless and classic. Anyway, some options are on my blog. You can find a link for that on my profile. I'm also on twitter: tufano79.**

 **Thanks for reading! Leave me some!**


	15. Chapter 15

**So, none of this is mine. I wrote the first chapter for a contest and now, I'm expanding it. What I own … a condo and too many books. What I don't … _Twilight_ and all its characters.**

 **We're going to find out what the hell happened to The Swan Dive? And to Uncle Jimmy? Have faith, kids.**

 **Chapter Fifteen**

 **EPOV**

 _As we walked to my SUV, my cell phone rang. It was Bella. "Dolce," I sang._

 _"Edward," she croaked._

 _"What is it? Bella, what's wrong?" I asked._

 _"The Swan Dive … it's gone!" she sobbed._

 _"What do you mean?"_

 _"It's been blown up," she cried. "And I can't get a hold of my uncle. Edward … I can't lose him."_

 _"Where are you?" I asked._

 _"Home, but I want to go to the diner," Bella whimpered._

 _"Don't, baby. I'm going to check it out," I whispered. "I promise, I'll do everything to make it okay. Your uncle is probably fine and his phone was …" I blew out a breath, a tear slipping from my eye. "I love you. Stay there. Is anyone with you?"_

 _"Alice, Esme, Zafrina and Lauren," she sniffled. "I was trying on wedding dresses … Please, find him, Edward. He's all I have left."_

 _"I'll do everything …" I trailed off. "I love you. So much, Bella."_

 _"I love you, too," she sobbed, ending the call._

 _I blinked over to Jasper. "Well?" I asked._

 _"The entire block's been shut down. The diner is not even there anymore," Jasper said. "I don't know if Jimmy was working, but if he was …" He grimaced. "I'm sorry, Boss."_

 _"Don't say that yet," I growled. "I'm not going to have Bella's last living family be … Let's go. Use Claire, find out all you can."_

 _"Got it, Boss," Jasper nodded as he backed out. I sent a prayer, hoping that Jimmy was okay. He had to be okay._

As we drove to the Swan Dive, I sent a text to Emmett, my father and any of the guys who were available. Garrett was on the phone with Claire, getting information about the alleged gas leak. _Alleged, my ass._ Jasper parked around the corner and we made our way to the remains of the diner.

It was a hole in the ground. There was nothing left. It was a smoldering pile of ashes. I walked over to one of the few fire department personnel that were still milling around. "Whoa," I muttered, my eyes wide. "What happened?"

"Gas main leak," a burly guy answered. "The owner was getting ready to open up when he called it in. He said he smelled gas when he walked into the kitchen. The operator said for him to get out. That operator was a fucking genius."

"Did he?" I asked. "The owner? Did he get out?"

"Yeah, but he was thrown almost clear across the street when the place exploded," another guy answered. "He was in bad shape. Where'd they send him?"

"Chicago Med," the first guy answered. "You know the guy? The owner? An older dude, with shaggy blonde hair."

I shook my head, not wanting to raise suspicion. "No, I don't. I liked to come here every so often. Was it really a gas main leak?"

"We've got an arson investigator on the way, but with the amount of damage to the building …"

"The fact that the building is not here anymore," the second guy snorted, interrupting the first one and gesturing to the smoldering rubble.

"You're an ass. This place had the best pies," the first guy grumbled, smacking his coworker. "Anyhow, I _think_ foul play, but I'm in the minority. You a reporter? Nothing's been released to the press, man."

"No, just a concerned patron. I loved their pies," I replied, smiling wryly to the first firefighter, who nodded in approval. "Thanks. I hope that you find out what happened soon." I stuffed my hands into my pockets and strode back toward Jasper. We met up, walking back to the car. "What did you get?"

"No one was inside, thankfully," Jasper answered, squinting his eyes. "Jimmy made it out, but he was injured, badly. They wouldn't tell me where, though."

"Chicago Med," I replied. "Get Garrett on it and I'm going to bring Bella to see him."

"What do you want me to do?" Jasper asked, reaching into his pocket and taking out the car keys.

"Find out who fucking blew up The Swan Dive," I snarled, taking the keys from Jasper's hand. "This was a hit, plain and simple. It was a god damned miracle that Jimmy got out at all." Jasper's eyes hardened and he nodded, striding in the opposite direction. His phone was out and he was talking rapidly. I slid into my car, driving back to my condo. I parked the car and rode up to my floor. As I was in the elevator, Jasper texted me.

 _Jimmy's in surgery. His legs are fucked, but he got lucky. There's more. Alice is trying to find out, but it's slim pickins since we're not family. Alice is pulling the doctor card. I'll let you know if I hear more ~ Jas_

 _Thanks. We'll head there now ~ E_

I walked into the house, hearing sniffles and Alice's voice. I saw Bella, curled up on the couch, in my mother's arms. " _Dolce_ ," I whispered. She looked up and her distraught face shattered my heart. She scrambled up, running toward me and jumping into my arms, her legs wrapping around my waist. "I'm here, baby. I'm so sorry."

"Uncle Jimmy's alive. We know that much," she choked out. "But, they won't say anything else."

"Do you want to go to the hospital?" I asked. I inwardly grimaced because it was an unknown when it came to protection, but I couldn't ask her to just stay here. She nodded, tightening her hold on me. "Okay, baby." She sobbed against my neck and my mom grabbed a coat, draping it over her back. "Hold on. We're going to go."

"I'll call Jake," Mom whispered. "We'll meet you at the hospital."

I smiled tightly, maneuvering her so she was in my arms. She was shaking and crying. I held her as I rode back down to the parking garage. Jake was waiting for us. I got into the back of the car, cradling her as he drove us to Chicago Med. "Bella, _cara_ , I need you to calm down," I whispered. "I know that you're scared, but Uncle Jimmy … he's going to need you."

"I know," she muttered, wiping her tears and looking at me. Her face was splotchy, her eyes were red and her hair was a disheveled mess, but she was so beautiful to me. "Just hold me. I need you, Edward."

"I'm right here, Bella," I said, holding her tightly. There was this pit in my stomach. I knew that this was partially my fault. Bella's involvement with me made Jimmy a target and whoever tried to kill him focused on him because of our family. I never thought that they'd resort to exploding a restaurant, possibly killing innocents in the process, but he was in the hospital because of me. Because of the rivalry between the Cullen's and Royce King and Stephan Romani, possibly Marcus Volturi. It made me sick. Loved ones were being injured, perhaps killed, because of this. "I'm here, Bella. I'll always be here."

Jake drove us to the hospital. Bella was slightly calmer, but she was still trembling. Walking into the lobby, I spoke to a receptionist. "I was told that my fiancée's uncle was brought here after an accident."

"Name?" she asked, pursing her lips.

Bella answered. "Jimmy, um, James Swan. He was at the Swan Dive explosion."

"And you're his …" the woman asked, looking at my fiancée with a snooty expression.

"I'm his niece," she sniffled. She took out her driver's license. "I'm his only living family and medical proxy."

The woman grunted, explaining that he was up on the surgical floor. We were both given name tags and we rode up the elevator. Upstairs, Bella explained that she was there for Jimmy and this nurse was a little more understanding. She explained that Jimmy was still in surgery, but both of his legs were essentially shattered. He'd need long-term care and extensive rehabilitation if he wanted to walk again.

Bella grew weepy again and she ran off, disappearing into the bathroom. I asked if there were more injuries and she said that he had a sprained wrist, but his legs were totally jacked. I made a vow that I'd do anything to help Jimmy, to ensure that he'd be able to walk his niece down the aisle, even if we had to delay the fucking wedding.

 _If she wants to marry your thug ass …_

Bella came back out, looking pale and wobbly. I helped her, sitting us down on the stiff benches. Bella curled into me, idly playing with the buttons of my suit coat. An hour later, my mom, Alice, Zafrina, and Lauren, the wedding dress designer, arrived with Emmett, my dad and Garrett. They came with food, some munchies and appetizers from a nearby Italian restaurant. Bella picked at it, seemingly anxious about her uncle. Garrett didn't stay for very long. He went back outside with Jake, doing perimeter surveillance and watching for anyone involved with Royce or Stephan's crew.

A little before ten, a doctor came out. He was younger, but seemed competent. "Family for James Swan?"

"Jimmy," Bella said, standing up. She tugged on my hand and I followed her. "How is he?"

"He's alive," the doctor said. "He had a spiral fracture of his left leg and his right leg was broken in two places. We've set the bones in the right leg and that should be an easy recuperation. His left leg injuries, however, are more questionable. We had to use titanium rods in order to give his leg the proper support. We're not sure that the leg is salvageable, to be honest, but James said he didn't want to lose it."

"He was awake?" Bella asked.

"For a time, just prior to surgery. He was in a lot of pain, but he was adamant on two things. One, don't take his fucking leg." Bella and I chuckled. That sounded like Jimmy. The surgeon rolled his eyes with a wry grin. "And two, tell Isabella that I love her so much. Are you Isabella?"

"Yeah. I'm his niece," she replied. "Can I see him?"

"He's in recovery. We're moving him to ICU soon. Due to the nature of his injuries, we want him to be closely monitored. Now, he's got scrapes, bruises and road rash on him, but that stuff is superficial. The main injuries are his legs. It will be a long recovery. He'll need support …"

"Whatever he needs," Bella sniffled.

"We'll take care of him," I vowed, sliding my arm around Bella's waist. She leaned against me, but stiffened. She took a step away, moving jerkily.

 _What the fuck?_

 **BPOV**

An hour later, we were up in ICU. Jimmy was awake, but in a great deal of pain. I wanted to stay with him, but the nurses said that it wouldn't be possible. I kissed his forehead, apologizing to him. "Don't worry, Bells. I'm stronger than I look," he chuckled, taking my hand and smiling sweetly. "I'm not going anywhere. Kind of tethered to the bed, kiddo."

"I love you, Uncle Jimmy," I whispered, squeezing his hand. "Call me. Please? I'll be here, first thing in the morning." I stood up, but Jimmy stopped me from leaving. "What?"

"Don't blame him," Jimmy said, arching a brow.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I said coolly.

"You've been distant to your fiancé since you walked in." Jimmy made a face, clearly displeased with my behavior. "Baby girl, I know about him. About his family." My eyes widened. He couldn't … He shouldn't! "I also know that it's not his fault."

"You could have died," I hissed, tears streaking down my cheeks.

"And it could have been a legit gas main leak," he argued, wiping my tears away. "Bells, accidents happen. If this is because of something that he did, he'll make it right, but it's not his fault. I can see how much he adores you. I'm high as a kite and he looks at you like you hung the moon."

"Uncle Jimmy," I argued.

"Bells, don't throw this away," Jimmy growled, tugging me closer to his side. "I'm not going anywhere. I've got too much to live for." He pulled me down, kissing my cheeks and pressing my forehead to his. "I love you, Isabella. You were your father's life and now you're mine. Don't … just don't … don't give up. Promise me."

"I promise," I choked out as I heard him cry. He kissed my forehead again and fell back onto the bed. He pressed his morphine booster, holding my hand as he drifted. Once he was asleep, I stood up, walking out of the room. Edward was in the waiting area. "I should check on my uncle's home. I don't want that to be blown up either." I was cold, angry. _Don't throw this away,_ my uncle's voice echoed in my mind. "Is Jake here?"

"He's waiting outside, Bella," Edward said softly, his fingers itching to touch me, console me.

 _Not happening … not tonight, buster._

"I'll have him drive me to Jimmy's. I won't be home," I said, pushing past him and picking up my cell phone. I sent Jake a text. I couldn't look back at Edward. I was too angry. I know I said I'd give him a chance, but I needed to cool down. Jake was waiting for me by the curb. I slipped inside. "Do you know where my uncle lives?"

"Yeah, Bells," Jake answered. "But, you should go back with the Boss."

"Not tonight, Jake," I sniffled. "I can't … I almost lost my uncle because …" Tears tracked down my cheeks and Jake drove to my uncle's apartment in the Ravenswood neighborhood. Jake followed me up the stairs and I let myself into his apartment using my key.

"Let me just check the place out, Bells," Jake snapped. He did a quick check, not finding anything out of the ordinary, but he was still leery. "This is bullshit. You should be home in a secured condo, with a doorman and The Fortress just below."

"I can't be there, Jake. Not now!" I yelled back. "Do you think that it was a gas leak? Or was it a hit?"

"Jasper's checking it out," Jake answered. "But, Royce could get to you. Or Stephan … if that happens … Edward would fucking kill me. Nothing can happen to you, Bella. Do you know how much he loves you?"

"So much that my family is being targeted," I sneered, walking to the kitchen and grabbing a bottle of beer, which was the _only_ thing in his fridge. "Damn it, Jimmy."

"I get that you're afraid, but who did you call when you were attacked? The cops? Your uncle? No, you called Edward. You trusted him. Even after he fucked things up on that date of yours," Jake said, sitting down on the fugly leather sofa in the living room. "What the fuck color is this? Puke green?"

"Jimmy's color blind. He probably bought it because it felt nice. He liked the texture," I shrugged, sitting down in my father's recliner. I curled up, hugging a ratty pillow and sipping my beer. "Am I overreacting?"

"Yes," Jake answered, arching a brow at me. "But, I can understand why you're overreacting. We've got guys checking things out. I promise you, Bells." He blew out a breath. "You have tonight to stay here, but you're going home tomorrow. Stay in the fucking guest room, but don't punish the Boss. He's a good man. He loves you so much. When the going gets rough, you can't turn into a bitch."

"Don't hold back, Jake," I growled, narrowing my eyes at him.

"I'm not going to," Jake snapped. "Bella, I love you like a sister. I get that you're afraid, worried about your uncle. He's alive. He's going to be fine, but he's alive. You have to know that Edward and the family will do everything to help with Jimmy's recuperation."

"Jake, Jimmy knows who Edward is and what he does," I whispered.

"Sue told him, after she got permission from Seth, who asked Emmett … Damn, that's quite the chain," Jake responded. I shot him a look. "Your uncle is sweet on Sue and adores Leah. They've been in contact, talking on burn phones."

"Has someone told her about Jimmy's accident?" I asked.

"Emmett did. Sue wanted to come back, to help, but it's best that she stays where she's at. Leah was threatened and none of us want to see that beautiful, innocent girl hurt," Jake said, his voice angry. "Just like we don't want anything to happen to Jimmy, you, or anyone else. You're family, Bella. You don't turn your back on your family." He looked at me and he meant that. It was a total dig. I grimaced. "Now, you probably want to get up early to go back to the hospital. Let's get some sleep. Does Jimmy have a guest room or am I sleeping on this fugly couch?"

"I can sleep on the couch. I've spent more nights on that thing than I care to remember," I snorted. "You can take Jimmy's room. Though, I don't know when the last time he changed his sheets. I love my uncle but he's a slob."

"I'll take the couch," Jake said, wrinkling his nose. I nodded, not wanting to sleep in that crusty bed any more than Jake did. I got up, tossing the beer into the overflowing garbage. "And Bells?" I turned, watching as Jake made up the couch. "You're going to talk Edward tomorrow. Tell him what you told me. He probably already feels guilty as fuck and the cold shoulder treatment from you doesn't help matters." He lay down, using his coat as a blanket. I sighed, crawling back onto my father's recliner, putting up my feet. I sent off a text before curling around the pillow.

 _I'm sorry … way too much to process … can we talk tomorrow? ~ B_

 **EPOV**

My cell phone vibrated. I was back at the office and reading the preliminary reports from Jasper, Garrett and Claire, with the three of them, along with Emmett. I couldn't sleep without Bella. I knew she was probably blaming me for what happened to her uncle. Fuck, I was more than likely the reason why he was in that fucking hospital bed. The phone vibrated again and I saw a message from Bella.

 _I'm sorry … way too much to process … can we talk tomorrow? ~ B_

No, 'I love you.' No terms of endearment. She apologized, but was she apologizing for being with me? _Fuck, I hate this._ I swiped my finger across the screen and sent off a reply. _I'm always here for you, cara. You talk to me when you're ready. I love you ~ E_

I had to tell her. I couldn't NOT tell her that I loved her.

"You hear from Bella?" Emmett asked.

"Yeah. She's staying at Jimmy's," I muttered. "Jake's with her."

"Look, I'm not condoning how she acted, but I don't blame her," Emmett shrugged.

"Em, it's not like Edward made The Swan Dive explode. She's overreacting," Jasper argued, looking at pictures of the rubble.

"Enough!" I snapped. "She's probably overreacting, but he's her last living relative besides her psychotic mother. I don't blame her for being upset over Jimmy's injuries. And this information we got from Claire and the fire department is inconclusive. Do you know when we're going to hear from the arson investigator?"

"It was too hot for them to begin their investigation," Claire replied, leaning casually against the door jamb. "But, I'm pushing them to find out if it was truly a gas leak. Nothing else was reported in the area. The cops canvassed, asking if other businesses had experienced a strong gas odor. Most of the people we interviewed hadn't, but by that point, the gas had been turned off for the block because of the explosion."

"And you don't think it was a bomb or some sort of incendiary device?" Garrett asked.

"Preliminary findings indicate no," Claire answered. "If it was a bomb, wouldn't there be a trigger? Like unlocking the door or a motion sensor? From what I've been told, James moved all around the diner, trying to find the gas smell."

"Remote trigger," I suggested. "Someone was close by, watching him."

Claire growled, picking up her phone and dialing her partner. She demanded he look around the diner for any clues of someone sitting there for a while. Hanging up the phone, she crossed her arms. "And you think that Royce King or Stephan Romani are behind this?"

"If it's not a 'gas leak,' yes," I answered. "We received a threatening letter with pictures …"

"I know, I saw it. And there were no prints on the photos, except for Angela Weber-Cheney. Also, they were actual photos. Not digital. Whoever took those photos used a film camera. Probably an expensive SLR with a telephoto lens," Claire said. "The note was printed from a standard printer, too, with fresh toner."

"Are you telling me the truth?" I asked. "That's a whole lot of nothing coming from you, Claire. You're usually a wealth of information."

"I'm on your payroll, but I think someone in my precinct is on Royce's," Claire snapped. "I had to be careful on who I approached, Edward. Keep in mind, if someone finds out I'm on the take …?"

"We'll take care of you, Claire," I snapped. "And your family."

"Sorry. I've just been up for almost a full day and I'm cranky. I need a shower, a stiff drink, a bed and a hard fuck. In that order," Claire grumbled.

"Go home, Claire. You've given us all you can. Thank you," I said.

"Oh, one more thing before I go. Your dad asked me to look into Bella's mom? Renee?" Claire said.

"Yeah. And?" I asked.

"She's moved down to Jacksonville. Remarried to some minor league pitcher or something. She may be pregnant, but we don't know. Have your PI check it out. Here's the address and her married name," Claire answered, handing me a piece of paper.

"Thanks, Claire," I sighed. She nodded, ducking out of the office.

"You want me to find out about Renee?" Jasper asked. "If she's remarried, that may be a good reason why she's not sniffing around, bothering Bella."

"Yeah. I appreciate it, Jas," I answered, handing him the paper. Jasper read it, stuffing it into his pocket. "If you guys want to go, I'll stay here."

"Boss, you can't just stay at the office," Garrett argued.

"But, he can't sleep without Bella," Emmett said, smiling sadly at me. "I get it, bro. Even though it got bad with Rose at the end, I missed her next to me. I'm only now getting used to sleeping by myself." I blushed and nodded. "You got to get some sleep, though. You're an asshole when you're on fumes, Edward."

"Later," I said, opening up my laptop. "If I can't figure out this whole Jimmy thing, I'll get some work done." Jasper and Garrett stayed, heading to the reception area. Emmett went to his own office and I kept my mind occupied, knowing that I'd be out of the office for some time. I knew that I'd be covering the cost of Jimmy's hospital bills and rehabilitation. My parents had all but promised me that he could stay with them while he recuperated. He couldn't exactly go back to his second story walk-up. He can't walk.

Not yet.

By the time the sun began its trek up the horizon, my eyes were burning and I had a killer headache. I pinched my nose, wanting to take out my contact lenses, but I didn't have my glasses with me. My phone vibrated and I saw a text from Jake. _Boss, the hospital called Bella. Something about a blood clot. We're on our way back to Chicago Med. Meet us there?_

I shot up. I found Jasper and Garrett snoring in reception. Emmett was asleep, his head fallen back, in his office. I barked for them to wake up. We needed to go. Garrett drove us to the hospital. We rode up, back to the surgical floor. Bella was pacing anxiously and she looked completely disheveled. Jake stopped me before I went over to her. "What is it?"

"She's worried about him, obviously. She's still angry with you. I tried to nail it home to her that it could have been a gas main leak," Jake hissed. "I know you want to go to her, love up on her, but she needs space. Time …"

"Are you on my side or hers?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him. "Who signs your paycheck, Jacob?"

"You do, but my loyalty is to her. Boss, she's hurting. She's never had anyone care for her and the one person who did is now fighting for his life," Jake said, standing up tall and glowering at me. "This is not a power play, Boss. I know you love her. I know she still loves you, but she's lost."

I blew out a breath, nodding and sitting down. Alice sat next to me, handing me a cup of coffee. I thanked her, watching as Bella continued to pace. Jasper got her some coffee, but she shook her head, sitting down and tugging at her messy hair. She didn't say seated for long. She hopped back up, resuming her pacing. My heart shattered for her. "Edward, you look like death warmed over," Alice said.

"I'm fine. I'm worried about her," I said, nodding toward Bella.

"Me, too. I'm afraid she's going to get a relapse of her pneumonia. Jake said she was coughing this morning while they were driving to the hospital," Alice sighed. A doctor came out and Alice walked over to Bella. The two of them disappeared into a conference room. I held my coffee, wanting desperately to be in there with her, to give her comfort. Alice came out a few moments later, striding over and grabbing my hand. She dragged me to the room, pushing me into a seat next to my fiancée. Bella was inside the room, curled up in a tiny ball and sobbing uncontrollably. The doctor must have left. I looked at Alice, confused as hell. She just turned, closing the door and leaving me inside with Bella.

I gulped, crouching down. " _Dolce_ ," I whispered. "What is it?"

She looked up, her eyes swollen and her face covered with tears and snot. "He's got several blood clots in his legs. Something called a DVT, uh, deep vein thrombosis? One of them traveled up to his lungs, resulting in a pulmonary embolism. They treated the DVT and embolism with some sort of drugs, but they need to perform a surgery to implant some sort of filter to prevent further clots to reaching his lungs. They needed my permission." She was panicking, her breathing becoming shallower. "They're cracking his chest, Edward. He could …"

I sat up, holding her in my arms. "Baby, you have to breathe," I said. Her fingers gripped my shirt. I took slow, exaggerated breaths. "That's it, Bella." She coughed. It was deep and sounded painful. "Do you have your inhaler?" She shook her head, making her breathing become panicked again. "Shhhhh, it's okay. Slow, deep breaths."

After a few moments, her breathing evened out and I looked down. She was exhausted, sleeping against my chest. I sat back, cradling her in my arms. I hated that she was in this situation. I wanted to take that hurt away from her. Alice snuck in, carrying her bag. She slipped on her stethoscope, listening Bella's breathing as she slept. "Well?" I whispered.

"There's congestion," she said, wrinkling her nose. "I'll get her a new inhaler and another round of medications. They'll be at your condo. I'm also preparing for Jimmy's release. He'll be staying with Carlisle and Esme."

"Good," I sighed, leaning my cheek against Bella's hair. "Do you know about what's going on with Jimmy?"

"It's good they found it now, rather than have him get into a crisis. He was never in respiratory arrest. They're treating his DVT and PE aggressively, but preventatively. I told Bella this, but she heard operation and heart, lungs and filter, she freaked out," Alice explained. "To a non-medical person, it does sound daunting. I asked to see his file. I acted as if I was Jimmy's primary physician, which I will be, upon his release. His numbers look good. He's coherent and he'll be fine."

"A full recovery?" I asked.

"He may have a limp and he'll need to carry a special card when he travels. His leg will light up the security scanners," Alice snorted. "You both need rest."

"She won't leave until he's out of surgery and I'm not moving because she's asleep," I said, kissing her forehead. "The fact that she hasn't woken up during our conversation says something. She's a light sleeper." I blew out a breath, terrified that she'd give up on us.

Alice stood up, kissing my cheek. "Be her rock, Edward. I know you love her and she loves you, too. This was a reality check, regardless of what happened," Alice replied. "Whether it's a hit or an accident, be there for her." Her cell phone chirped. I felt mine vibrate in my pocket. Alice showed me the text. "And it was an accident. At least, that's what the arson investigator is ruling it as for now."

"But, you don't think it's an accident," I whispered, pressing my lips to Bella's temple. Alice shook her head. She mouthed that Jasper was on the job with his own private team. I nodded, shifting Bella in my arms. She brushed Bella's hair back and ducked out of the room. I closed my eyes, holding Bella tightly. With a sigh, I allowed myself to drift off, but never fully going asleep.

About three hours later, the same doctor came into the room. I gently nudged Bella awake. She blushed hotly seeing that she'd used me as her bed, but I was okay with that. Despite not sleeping, I felt more rested, knowing she was okay and that she trusted herself to sleep. She scrambled off my lap and sat next to me, still bleary eyed and slightly disgruntled. "How is he?" she asked, her voice raw.

"In recovery and doing well," the doctor smiled. "We plan on keeping him for about a week. Then, Dr. Whitlock, his primary physician, has arranged for care for him. I trust that she went over everything?"

"She has," I answered. Bella shot me a look. "You were asleep, _cara._ Your body just gave out."

"Okay. My fiancé finalized those arrangements," Bella said, nodding. "When can I see him?"

"I know you are worried, but Dr. Whitlock is concerned about your health, Miss Swan," the doctor chided. "She said you had a particularly nasty strain of pneumonia about two months ago. She's concerned you are in the midst of a relapse. Not to step on her toes, but I can hear the strain in your breathing as we sit here. I cannot allow you to see him, if you're sick. His immune system is weakened as it is, with the broken legs and now the surgery to stabilize his DVT and pulmonary embolism." Bella deflated, tears falling freely down her cheeks. "Dr. Whitlock said that Esme Cullen and her cousin, Felix, will remain at the hospital. You need to receive treatment."

"I understand," Bella sniffled. "Can I talk to him on the phone?"

"Of course, Miss Swan. He'll probably just sleep while he's here. He's in the best hands," the doctor smiled. "If you have any concerns, here's the phone number to the ward. He's staying in ICU-7." He slid a card to Bella. "He should be back in his room by this afternoon. You need to rest."

"It feels wrong to leave," Bella said, clinging to the card. She coughed, deep and heavy.

"And that's why you have to," he replied. "We'll be in touch." Standing up, the doctor left and Bella put her head down on her arms, her face screwed up into an ugly grimace. She began crying, her whole body shaking with her sobs.

"Bella, you're overwrought with exhaustion and emotions. Please, _cara_ , let me take you home," I pleaded. She sat up, wiping her nose. Her eyes were glassy and she was confused. "Bella?" She nodded, standing up on unsteady legs. She took a few steps before stumbling. I swept her up in my arms and carried her out of the conference room.

Jake drove us back to the condo. Bella fell asleep, her cheek pressed against my bicep. Once home, I put her into our bed, removing her leggings and putting on a large t-shirt. She barely stirred, further indicating that she was again very sick. I wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed with her, but I had to pick up her medications. She'd want to get better as soon as possible so she could see her uncle.

"Boss, I'm saying this with the utmost respect," Jake began, arching a brow, "you look like shit."

"Thanks, Jake. I needed you to point that out," I snapped. "I have to pick up Bella's medications, unless Alice had them delivered."

"You have to go to bed," Jake said, pointing toward my bedroom. "We'll get Bella's medications."

"Who's we?" I asked.

"Me and Seth. He flew back last night. Sue and Leah are still in La Push with Paul for protection," Jake answered. "Sleep, Boss."

"I'm too tired to argue," I sighed. "Thank you, Jake." He nodded and I went back to the bedroom. Stripping out of my suit from the day before, I slid into bed, next to Bella. I made sure the ringer was on my phone. Bella rolled over, her head was laying on my chest. I sighed, kissing her forehead and falling asleep within the next breath.

 **BPOV**

I woke up with a nasal cannula in my nose. _Fuck my life! Not this again!_ I was alone in the bedroom, but I knew I was back at the condo. I sat up, my whole body aching. Edward came in, dressed in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, wearing his glasses and sporting a slight beard. "You're awake," he said, a tentative smile spreading over his face. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I've got another elephant on my chest," I said. "How long have I been asleep?"

"Almost a full day," he answered. My eyes bugged out. He chuckled and sat down next to me, his finger tracing my pinky. It was a tentative, but sweet move. I could see how much my anger toward him had impacted our relationship. Breaking my thoughts, Edward continued, "Your uncle is doing well and has been moved to the step-down unit. Alice is monitoring his care and preparing for his release, which should be in about five days."

"Can I see him?" I asked, my throat raw and my chest constricted.

"Not until you get a clear chest x-ray," Edward frowned. "You're back on antibiotics and steroids, both inhaled and oral. I've spoken to him and told him that you were sick again. He's more worried about you, Bella."

I wrinkled my nose. I felt disgusting. The last time I'd showered was probably three days ago. Things were so different; so much had changed in those three days. I went from choosing my wedding dress to worrying about my uncle and getting sick again. Seriously, fuck my life! Edward put a tray over my legs and encouraged me to eat what I could. I nibbled at the savory soup, but focused my attention on the pudding. The smooth sweetness felt good against my raw throat. He was anxious, I could tell, and I know that was due to my behavior. We had a lot to talk about. I was still trying to wrap my head around everything.

"Are you finished?" Edward asked, his cheeks flushing. I nodded and he picked up the tray. "Alice said you can take a shower, but would prefer that you sit. She'll be here in an hour if you want to wait for her to help you." He left our bedroom and I could see the hurt in his eyes.

"Fuck," I growled. I tugged off the nasal cannula and followed him. "Edward …"

"You should be in bed," he hissed. He put the tray down and took my hand.

"No! I'm sorry I was a bitch to you," I said, my eyes welling with tears. "You've been nothing but … you've been amazing with everything that's happened to me. I needed someone to blame. You were convenient." I coughed and Edward gently guided me into the bedroom, reattaching the oxygen to me. "Thank you."

"Look, I get that you were upset. I looked into the destruction of your uncle's diner. According to the arson investigator, they 'deemed' it accidental," Edward explained, using air quotations around the word deemed.

"You don't believe that?" I asked.

"Jasper and his team have been investigating. The explosion was designed to look accidental, but it was rigged, they believe," Edward frowned. "This is my fault."

"Edward, no," I whispered, tugging on his t-shirt weakly. He looked at me and gone was the cocky, confident mob boss. In his place was a heartbroken man, worried about me and what I thought of him. "I really mucked things up. What happened to Jimmy was a reality check. Am I worried? Very much so …"

"I promised you that I'd keep you safe. That I'd keep your family safe," he muttered. "And now, your uncle is in the hospital because someone tried to blow him up. On top of that, you're sick … that's probably my fault, too. I shouldn't have taken you to Bound and Gagged so soon after you were sick."

"I'll admit, I blamed you," I said. "But, I was irrational and probably delirious. Jacob called me out on it. Despite his learning disability, he's a smart fucking dude."

"And loyal to a fault," Edward snorted. "He was ready to kick my ass." He looked at me, his eyes so very sad. "I would have let him. Bella, you are my weakness and conversely, my strength."

"As you are mine," I said, tentatively reaching up and caressing his stubbled jaw. "I'm sorry that I made you doubt us, our relationship. When upset, I just react, and don't really think. Just like I called you after I was attacked. I knew you'd be able to keep me safe. But, I reacted against you with Jimmy because … I blamed you, when in reality, it's not your fault. It's the monsters who are after your mafia empire. They're using them to bring you down. You can't let that happen." I looked at him. "You're a good man, Edward. Those are so rare in this day and age. You're surrounded by good men, but you are smart, resourceful, powerful and kind. But, when need be, you're protective and loyal. I'm so sorry. I love you. I'll never stop loving you and I still want to be in your life."

He smiled crookedly, brushing his lips against mine. "I don't ever want to be without you, Bella," he whispered. "You make me want to be a better man. I pray that I can still show you that I'm capable of so much more."

"You've already shown me, Edward," I sighed, pressing my forehead to his. "I'm so sorry."

"No more apologies. We both struggled with this whole thing. I'm sorry that your uncle was collateral damage in this mess," he grumbled. "Now, I'll draw you a bath. I don't think you can handle a shower and seeing you naked, well, I'm horny … you do the math."

"You're always horny, old man," I teased.

"Who are you calling old?" he quipped, kissing my forehead and disappearing into the bathroom. I heard the water turn on. I got up, walking to the closet and grabbing some clothes. Padding to the bathroom, I saw that Edward had drawn me a bubble bath. I stripped off my clothes and sunk into the warm, fragrant water. "Feel good, _cara?_ "

"Yes," I moaned. "I felt so grimy and smelly."

"Your fever broke last night. I can understand," he chuckled. "You soak. I'm going to change the sheets."

I nodded and leaned back in the tub. I gently scrubbed my body, washing my hair and just letting the humid air open up my lungs. Pulling out the stopper, I stood up and dressed in the clothes I'd picked out – a pair of leggings and one of Edward's dress shirts. I dried my hair, tossing it up into a messy bun, heading back into our bedroom. Our bed had been remade with fresh sheets. I noticed that it didn't smell like illness, either. My oxygen tank wasn't inside. I padded to the living room where I saw Alice speaking with Edward. "You look so much better, Bells," she smiled. "But, you need a treatment. Sit." I rolled my eyes as she prepared the treatment, putting the mask over my nose and mouth. "Okay?"

"Yeah," I said. "How's Jimmy?"

"You're going to talk to him, after your treatment. Esme has her laptop at the hospital," Alice smiled. "Have you two kissed and made up?"

"Yes, Alice," Edward snorted, guiding me onto his lap. I snuggled against him, tired from my bath. Alice snickered and I drifted off until I felt the mask removed from my face. "You okay, _cara?_ "

"Sleepy," I answered. "But, I shouldn't be."

"Your body is fighting for every breath, Bells," Alice said. "You're gonna get tired. We managed to stop it before it became too bad, but it's a setback. Now, I've got someone on FaceTime for you."

I beamed, reaching for the iPad she held in her hand. I balanced it on my knees. "Uncle Jimmy," I breathed.

"Oh, you're a sight for sore eyes, Bella," he smiled. "I miss you, kiddo."

"I miss you, too," I sniffled. "How are you?"

"I'm better. No longer in ICU. I will be moved to a private room tomorrow and I'll be out by the end of the week. Esme was kind enough to open up her house to me so I can get better. I can't exactly walk up the stairs, you know?" he quipped. "I'll just be happy to eat real food. Not this slop they think is food. It's shit, Bells. Total shit. Have they ever heard of seasoning? Shit!"

"Not everyone is as picky as you are, Uncle Jimmy," I said. "And how many times can you say the word shit in a statement?"

He curled his lip, shaking his head. "I'm not picky. I just like my food to have flavor," he laughed, then grimaced, rubbing his chest. I whimpered. "I'm fine, kiddo. The surgery to place the filter was done laparoscopically. I'm just sore. How are you?"

"Pretty fucked," I snorted. "I apparently did too much too fast and with the explosion of the diner, it sent me into a tailspin, causing me to relapse. I'm sorry I couldn't be there."

"To do what? Watch me sleep? Watch the nurses check to see how much I've pissed or inspecting the surgery sites?" Jimmy croaked. "Bella, I love you, sweetie. I know you're worried, but the doctors assure me I'll make a full recovery. And that Alice? She agrees with them. Though, she scares me."

"Hey, I heard that," Alice snorted.

"Hello, Dr. Whitlock!" Jimmy sang, laughing anxiously. "Didn't know you were there."

"I was checking on my other patient, James," Alice snickered. "And for that little jibe, I'm going to invite Helga to be your physical therapist. She'll have so much fun with you." Alice waggled her brows evilly and cackled as she disappeared.

"Oh, shit!" Jimmy moaned. "Should I be afraid?"

"Very afraid," Alice sang from the kitchen. Jimmy whimpered.

"Alice is a brutal task master, but she's good at what she does," I shrugged. "I don't know what I'd do without Alice. Other than Edward, she's my best friend." Edward pressed a soft kiss to my temple. "Though, Lauren is fucking hysterical."

"Who's Lauren?" Jimmy asked.

"She's the dress designer for my wedding gown. I asked her to be a part of the wedding, too. Before all of this happened, we were getting hammered at a nearby frou-frou bar," I snorted.

"You picked out a dress?" Jimmy whispered, his hazel eyes brimming with tears.

"I did and when you're all better, you're going to see it, Uncle Jimmy," I said, a few tears sliding down my cheeks. "I can't get into too many details because, it's a surprise for this one." I nudged Edward and he chuckled quietly. "But, I can tell you both that it's white."

"I'm so glad that your pneumonia hasn't killed your sense of humor, Bells," Jimmy laughed. "And white? We all know that you aren't a virgin."

"Neither are you, Jimmy. I heard you and Vicky more times than I care to remember," I deadpanned.

"You heard Vicky," Jimmy snorted.

"You're just as loud, James Michael Swan," I grumbled. "And you were my sexual education, perv. I needed brain bleach with you two."

"Then, I've served my purpose," Jimmy said, bowing his head gallantly. I heard something off the screen and Jimmy nodded. "I gotta go, kiddo. I'm getting a sponge bath."

"A sexy nurse?" I quipped.

"Far from it. An overweight man with a unibrow," he deadpanned. "Besides, I have a tube shoved up my schlong. I don't even want to imagine getting a boner …"

"Too much information," I shuddered. "I love you, Uncle Jimmy. I'll talk to you soon."

"I love you more, kiddo," he smiled. He kissed his fingertips and pressed them to the screen. I did the same, ending the call.

"He looks good," I breathed. "His eyes are bright and he sounds okay, like Jimmy."

"What did you expect?" Edward asked, putting the iPad on the table and sliding me between his legs so my back was pressed to his chest.

"For him to be broken, quiet, not lucid … kind of how my dad was like when he was close to the end," I shrugged.

"Your uncle is stronger than you think. Alice spoke to his surgeon and despite his job working at a greasy spoon, he's in excellent shape for his age. They were shocked he had a six-pack," Edward chuckled. "It'll help his recuperation tremendously."

"I find that shocking since all he had in his fridge at his apartment was beer, beer, and more beer," I grimaced. "And not even good beer. It was PBR."

"Pabst?" Edward asked, a brow arching over his glasses. I nodded. "Brings back memories of my drunken college days. That shit gave me the worst hangover. Ever." He blinked down at me, a slow, sweet smile spreading over his face. "You found your wedding dress?"

"Yep," I blushed.

"And you're not going to tell me anything else besides that it's white?" he pouted.

"Nope. You're not supposed to see the bride's dress until the wedding day, Edward. So, you'll just have to wait," I said, kissing his nose. "Good things happen to those who wait. I mean, look at you?"

"What does that mean?" he chuckled.

"You waited until you were older to get married and you're marrying me. I'm awesome," I quipped, grinning wickedly.

"Let's just say, I was waiting for the right woman for me. A woman who is both my weakness, my strength, my lover and best friend," he said, caressing my cheek. I melted, throwing my arms around him. I apologized, again, for being so cold to him and blaming him. "No more apologies, Bella. We're stronger because of this."

"What are we going to do?" I asked.

"We fight back," he answered. "I know you disagree with violence, but whoever did this … they signed their death warrant. They will pay for this betrayal. This attack, Bella. No one fucks with my family. No one."

 **A/N: The Boss has made his return. So has Bella's illness. Jimmy will be okay. I like him too much to make him kick the bucket. We also found out about Renee, too. Anyhow, thanks for reading and I'll see you on the other side. Please leave me some loving! ;-)**


	16. Chapter 16

**So, none of this is mine. I wrote the first chapter for a contest and now, I'm expanding it. What I own … a condo and too many books. What I don't … _Twilight_ and all its characters.**

 **Chapter Sixteen**

 **EPOV**

"Edward, come on!" Bella whined, her voice raspy and tired. She was on the mend from her second bout of pneumonia and was cleared to visit her uncle. He'd been released three days ago and was staying with my parents. My mom totally spoiled him, giving him a lavish suite, complete with a living room, a huge bedroom and modified bathroom, for his medical needs. Across the hall from his suite was a gym for his rehabilitation. All of the guys, at some point, had used it. I think I was the last person to actually make use of the rehab facility. I'd gotten grazed in the arm about a year prior to meeting my Bella.

"I'm coming, _cara,_ " I said, smoothing my button-down. I slid on my glasses, put on my gun around my ankle and swiped my wallet. Bella was in the living room, perusing some website on her tablet. She rolled her eyes when she saw me. "What?"

"You are such a girl," she snickered. "Did you coordinate your weaponry with your clothes?"

"Pssh, no," I said, grabbing my leather jacket. _Okay, maybe?_ "I need to make sure that my baby's safe."

She narrowed her eyes at me. "You were coordinating your guns with your outfit. Come on, fashionista. I want to see my uncle. I made him his favorite."

"What's that?" I asked as I watched her pick up a plastic container.

"Red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting," she smirked. "And because you took your sorry time, you're not getting any."

"Bella," I whined.

"Not attractive, Mobward," she cackled, tugging on a jacket and making her way toward the door, her cupcakes in tow. I scowled, following her and opening the door. We rode down to the parking garage. Jake was waiting for us in the bulletproof car. Driving to my parents' home, we arrived about an hour later. Bella snoozed, still tired from her relapse of pneumonia. I gently nudged her awake and she blinked sleepily. "Sorry. Did I drool?"

"No, _dolce,_ " I chuckled, kissing her forehead. "Snored a little."

"A little?" Jake deadpanned.

"No cupcakes for you, either, Black," she snarled. She picked up the cupcake container, sliding out of the car and stomping toward the front door of my parents' estate.

"Jake, if you want a girlfriend, you have to learn to lie," I sighed, scrubbing my face.

"She sounded like a fucking freight train," Jake laughed.

"That may be so, but no woman wants to know that. And you know she's been sick," I retorted, rolling my eyes. "I'm certain that the woman you want to be with will probably overlook your farting in bed if you lie about her snoring." I followed Bella into the house while Jake parked the car in the garage.

I found Bella in the living room, her arms around her uncle's neck and she was clinging to him. He was smiling softly, holding on to her just as tightly. "Everything okay?" I asked my mom, who was hovering near the entryway.

"It's so sweet," she smiled. "Physically, Jimmy was doing fine, but his entire face lit up when he laid eyes on her. They have such a close relationship." Mom turned, kissing me on the cheek. "Emmett's on his way with Garrett and his girlfriend. Alice is doing a final inspection of the rehab gym for Jimmy and Jasper is in the office with your father."

"Am I supposed to go there?" I asked.

"After you say hello to Jimmy, yes," Mom smiled. "And we're having meatloaf, with garlic mashed potatoes and creamed spinach. It's Jimmy's recipe. He wanted comfort food. Bella's cupcakes are dessert. She explicitly said that you can't have one."

"There's still time. I'll have a damned cupcake," I muttered, walking into the living room.

Jimmy looked thinner than the last time I saw him, but he had just spent about a week in the hospital. His eyes were bright and he was sitting comfortably on the chaise, his legs covered by a blanket. "Hey, Jimmy," I said. "You look good."

"I'd feel better if I could pee standing up," Jimmy chuckled, shaking my hand. "But, it's all pretty good. I'm a lucky guy. How are you two?"

"We're okay. I freaked out," Bella said, shrugging one shoulder. "Your accident was a wake-up call."

"That's all it was, Bells. An accident," Jimmy argued. "A gas main leak." He blinked to me, arching a brow. "Now, Edward, I know you love my niece. I have wedding plans to discuss with her. You, being the groom, are not allowed. So, shoo!" He waved his hand dismissively. "Grab that iPad for me, Bells. I've got tons of ideas!"

"You heard the man," Bella giggled, coughing lightly.

"Okay, okay," I chuckled, holding my hands up in my defense. "Have fun and plan the lavish event."

"Damn straight. I may be blue collar, but nothing but the best for my niece," Jimmy beamed, kissing her temple. He shot me another look and I turned, leaving them to look at whatever it was Jimmy had on the iPad of his.

I walked into my father's office and I saw Jasper, Garrett, Jacob, Seth and Emmett inside, along with my father, as well. "Sorry, I was saying hello to Jimmy. Has he settled in?"

"Very much so," Carlisle said. "Your mother completely renovated the south wing of the house for Jimmy. She was a madwoman, buying new furniture and widening doors for his wheelchair. But, Jimmy's comfortable. We have a nurse who helps him get in and out of bed, hired by Alice."

"My sister," Garrett supplied. "She works at Northwestern with Dr. Whitlock, but was asked to help with Mr. Swan's recuperation."

"What's your sister's name?" I asked.

"Emily," he nodded.

"If I see her, I want to thank her for her help," I said, sitting down after I poured myself some scotch. "So, Dad, what's up?"

"A few things. First, with your upcoming nuptials, we need to plan for you taking over the family," Carlisle said. "But, with Stephan and Royce acting like fucktards, I don't know …"

"I'm already a fucking target, Dad," I said. "We all are. No matter who is in charge, those idiots are going to try to take us out. But, we're prepared. We have support from Anthony and our local crew is well-aware of the feud."

"We also have the guys from La Push. Paul is itching for a fight," Seth snorted. "When he heard that my sister was targeted, he wanted blood." He laughed humorlessly. "Specifically, he wanted Royce and Stephan's heads on a spike outside his cabin."

"We may need him," Dad mused. "He's deadly and a fucking ghost. Anyway, I want to pass the leadership of the family to you on the eve of your wedding. I know, by our laws, you should be married prior to taking control, but I want this to be official. We'll also have your bachelor party after the ceremony, naming you as the head of the family."

"I talked to Mike Newton and Tyler Crowley. We can have the bachelor party at Bound and Gagged, the VIP room. They're going to hire out strippers," Emmett beamed. I smiled politely, not really wanting that, but it was a party for my groomsmen, Emmett, Anthony, and Jasper, as well as for me. "It'll be exactly what we need after your rise to the head of the family."

"Will Bella be there? She won't be my wife …" I asked.

"We'll make the concession for her to be there. She's a part of the ceremony, as well," Carlisle said. "Have you decided on who is going to be your capo? Up until Billy's injury, he was mine, but I've been using you as my capo, knowing you'd be my successor."

"I'm still deciding," I replied. Normally, we'd choose someone outside of the family. Billy was my father's capo. My grandfather's capo was a distant relative to Stephan's mother. I was toying with the idea of making my brother my capo, my right hand. However, Jasper was always my choice and I'd make Emmett my successor if something were to happen to me. I shook my head, clearing it. "Jasper will be my capo and should anything happen to me, I want Emmett to take over as my successor."

"Excellent," Carlisle smiled. "Emmett, do you have someone as your right hand?"

"Seth," Emmett answered. "Garrett, I know you work for me, but Seth's been my man for years. Yes, I was pissed at him for what happened with Rosalie, but she put him in a difficult position. You're my number two."

"Just as Jacob is my number two," I nodded.

"I'll make all of the arrangements for your ascension to the head of the family," Carlisle smiled.

"And I'll make all of the arrangements for your last night of freedom after ascending to the throne of our crazy mob family," Emmett smirked.

"Which brings us to our second item of business," Carlisle said, crossing his legs and staring at me. "You need a house."

"I have a condo," I said, arching a brow.

"Which is great for now, but when you are the head of the family, you need a showplace to entertain guests. Plus, a home is much more self-contained. The people we let in here are kept out by the electrified fence and gated community," Carlisle snorted.

"But, you don't have a fortress," I argued.

"It's above the garage, next to the apartment," Emmett answered. "Felix is there now, along with Demetri. There's also a smaller house near the entrance."

"I've stayed there before," Seth said.

"Me, too," Garrett nodded. "Boss, this place is incredibly safe. All that's missing is guard dogs."

"Don't think we haven't considered them," Carlisle deadpanned. "I think you should consider living close to us, but I know your mother has a few options …"

"I'll pick my own house, with my fiancé," I said, holding up my hand. "I like this house, but it's too far away from the city. I'd find something closer to downtown."

"I can respect that," Carlisle chuckled, but his face sobered. "Last item … the Swan Dive explosion."

"Was it a gas main leak or was it intentional?" I asked.

"It was intentional, Boss," Jasper said, handing me an iPad. "See those pipes?"

"Yeah?"

"They were intentionally cut. At first glance, they looked like they were damaged when the place went up in flames, but after looking at them more closely, there were indications that they were cut. See the serrated pattern?" he asked, pointing out a few things. I nodded, my stomach churning. Jasper swiped the pictures, showing me a huge scorch mark. "This was where those pipes were located and this was where the explosion began. I found remnants of a small device, designed to ignite a flame, causing the place to go boom."

"And the arson investigator couldn't find this?" Emmett asked.

"The dude was fucking moron," Jasper snorted. "But, it works out better this way to say it was an accident. Jimmy will get a better pay out from his insurance company. Which, I've expedited. He's going to get about a million dollars for the destruction from the restaurant. Jenks also started a lawsuit for Jimmy to the city and the gas company due to their negligence. It's a sure-fire win for him."

"Even with this information?" I asked.

"Like I said, the arson investigator was a fucking moron," Jasper said. "He's so close to retirement. He saw an exploded building with clear indications that it was a 'gas main leak' and he went with it. It'll help Jimmy out in the long-run. The dude is going to be rolling in the dough when all is said and done."

"Do we have any idea who may have done this?" Emmett questioned. "Obviously, it's got to be someone associated with Stephan or Royce."

"And at one point, someone associated with Jimmy," Seth answered, scrolling a few photos on the iPad, showing a redhead, wearing big sunglasses and a floppy hat. "Vicky. She's the one who set this all into motion. We had some people following her and she met up with Royce's lieutenant a little over a week ago, a day or two prior to the Swan Dive's destruction."

"Why didn't you say something?" I asked, trying to keep my temper in check.

"Because, the last I'd heard, Vicky's keys no longer worked and she'd been banned from the restaurant," Jasper answered. "The new waitress, Maggie? She said that if she or Jimmy saw Vicky, they'd call the cops. This day? Jimmy was finalizing his order of fruit for the month at some local market and Maggie was home sick with the stomach flu. One of the part-timers didn't know about Vicky's ban, and loss of employment. When she came in, she put on an apron and started serving patrons. A couple of hours later, she left, pocketing her tips and planting the device in the kitchen. From there, we can assume someone snuck into the diner to do the damage to the pipes. We couldn't see who. The picture was too grainy."

"Have you seen Vicky?" I growled.

Seth grinned evilly. "Oh, yeah. She's being held at one of the downtown warehouses. Garrett was the one who ran into her, totally flirting with that old cougar."

"She seriously thought I was into her," Garrett said, shuddering. "I think I threw up in my mouth a little bit when she tried to kiss me."

"She is sloppy," Emmett shuddered. "What did Jimmy ever see in her?"

"Who the fuck knows? Maybe it was just convenience?" Jasper shrugged.

"When are we going to interrogate her?" I asked. "And we're not going to …" I trailed off, blinking over to Emmett.

"No, we're not. We may be a crime family, but we're not monsters," Carlisle said. "But, if she proves to be more trouble than she's worth, we will end her, but it will be a swift death."

"Okay," I breathed. "After dinner, we'll deal with the red-headed devil. Now, what about Rosalie? I know that she's no longer in our family, but that photo … the doctored photo made make her look like Bella?"

"As far as I know, she's still alive. Claire has been keeping an eye out on the morgue for women matching Rosalie's description and so far, so good," Seth said. "I don't know her condition, but she's alive."

"Proof of life?" Emmett asked, his voice was wooden and hollow.

Seth took the iPad from me and found a picture of Rosalie, dated from a couple of days ago. Her face was covered in bruises, but she was still very much alive. "See?"

"Thanks, Seth," Emmett sighed, getting up and leaving the meeting. I looked at my brother, worried about him. My father poured another glass of scotch and nodded to the door. I got up, leaving the rest of them to discuss whatever their plan was for Vicky. I went out to the deck where Emmett was sitting, staring at the fire. I held the glass of scotch in front of him. He took it, giving me an empty smile.

"Talk to me, Em," I whispered, sitting down next to him. "Are you upset about Rose?"

"No. I'm not upset about her. She made her decision," he sighed, slamming the drink. "It just pisses me off. She had it good here, Edward. I loved her. _Truly_ loved her. I gave her everything. Was I just a patsy in her quest for money? For glory?"

"Well, now look at her? She's a whore for Royce King," I said, pressing my lips into a grim line.

"She's his punching bag, whore and whatever else." He was quiet, staring at the glass in his hand. With a heavy sigh, he continued, "Ed, if she came here, asking for help, redemption, would you turn her away?" he asked, his voice uncertain and filled with confusion. "If she apologized … for everything she did?"

"I wouldn't turn her away. I'd help her, but I sure as hell wouldn't trust her, Emmett," I answered. "Has she contacted you?" He shook his head. "Do you think she will?"

"I don't know, but seeing those bruises and that photo … she's being abused. She may realize that she's in over her head," he shrugged. "I don't know … I don't know what I'm saying." He got up and blew out a breath. "I'm going to … fuck …"

"Really?" I asked dryly.

"Pssh, I wish," Emmett snorted. "My dick is so underused, but that's because I'm afraid to use it."

"I'm assuming you're clean?" I muttered, pissed that my ex-sister-in-law had exposed my brother to whatever.

"Yeah, thankfully," he said, wrinkling his nose. "I'm going to beat the shit out of a punching bag. I need to do something. Call me when dinner's ready, Edward. Thanks … thanks for checking up on me. I love you, bro."

"I love you, too, Emmett," I smiled.

 **BPOV**

"You are obsessed, Jimmy," I said, as he showed me pictures on his iPad. "Dude, you are like the king of Pinterest."

"Esme got me hooked. All of the recipes, ideas for your wedding and …" he trailed off. "Look, Bells, I spoke with the police and The Swan Dive is gone. It's a hole in the ground. With the investigation and clear claim that it was an accident, I'm taking the insurance payment, giving my employees a healthy severance package and using the rest for you and your wedding."

"Jimmy," I frowned. "You need that … what are you going to do?"

"In addition to the insurance payment, I spoke with Jenks, an attorney, and I'm suing the city and gas company for negligence. I'm going to be fine. I loved my job. I loved what I did as the owner of the Swan Dive, but this accident put everything into perspective. There's more to life than work, Bells," he said, taking my hand. "I've lived half of my life. My parents are gone. So is my brother and best friend." He stared at me, smiling softly. "I see so much of Charlie in you, Bells."

"Not the mustache," I quipped, smirking.

"Thank God," Jimmy laughed. "I see his compassion, his drive and his love. Despite Edward's occupation, he'd like him. He probably would say that just prior to arresting his ass."

"True," I chuckled. "Edward is a good man. He's just been forced to do bad things."

"Well, I like him. He protects you, loves you and he'd give you fucking anything, baby girl," Jimmy chuckled. "Anyway, once I'm over being a gimp and dealing with court cases, I'm going to … well, I'd like to, if it's okay with you …"

"What?" I asked.

"I want something with Sue. We've been talking. A lot," he blushed. "She's been keeping me sane. I can only imagine the phone bill. Hours on end, I swear. And Leah? She's such a sweet girl. Just a few months younger than Alice, it would seem."

"You deserve to be happy, Uncle Jimmy," I smiled, taking his hand. "And from what I've heard, Sue is pretty smitten with you, too. Do you know why she's away, though?"

"Seth told me," Jimmy answered. "Those are some fucked up individuals, looking to harm an innocent girl."

"They harmed me, too," I said, wrinkling my nose.

Jimmy stiffened, looking at me. "What the fuck do you mean, Bells?"

"Remember when I quit coming to work for you?" I asked. "I was attacked, just outside the library on campus. It wasn't an accident like I said. They asked if I knew about Edward. I got beat up when I denied it and I raced home, only to find my apartment trashed. I called Edward. He was the first and only person that I could think of to keep me safe."

"Wow," Jimmy breathed. "Bells, did they …?"

"No, Jimmy. I just had the snot beat out of me," I snorted. "I've only ever been with four guys. One of whom is Edward. And always by my choice. Does this change how you perceive Edward?"

"A little, but I know he'd move mountains to keep you safe, baby girl," he sighed, scrubbing his face. "Do you know who attacked you?"

"Some thugs in a rival family," I answered. "Or families. That's why I moved in with Edward and why Jacob followed me around."

"And why I had some random guys in my diner, constantly harassing my waitresses," Jimmy snickered, giving me a wry smile. I blushed. "You think I didn't notice beefy guys sitting in the corner? I thought they were there for you."

"No, they were there for you, Jimmy," I whispered. "You were a target." He nodded. "Are you mad?"

"Bella, I could never be mad at you. I'm grateful that Edward had someone staying at the diner to protect me and I know that he loves you," Jimmy smiled, kissing my temple. "You can't change the past, only learn from it. So, my lesson is that I'm done slaving away at work. With the insurance policy, the lawsuit and your support, I'm changing my focus."

"I'll always support you, Uncle Jimmy," I smiled, hugging him.

"Good, because I need you to support me while I piss in a bottle," he laughed.

"Ugh, there are things I don't want to see, Uncle J. Your dick is one of them," I said.

"So, you're not going to wipe my ass when I'm incoherent and incompetent?" he snickered. I gave him a scowl, disappearing to find Alice or the nurse that she'd hired to help with Jimmy's care. I found Alice and she helped Jimmy go to the bathroom in the bottle, which was under the cocktail table.

 _That's gross, man._

After dinner, Jimmy asked to talk to Edward and I was pretty much pushed out of the living room. Esme and Alice helped me choose the invitations for the wedding. Though, I was more concerned about the conversation my fiancé was having with my uncle.

 **EPOV**

Jimmy was giving me the stare down. It was a bit comical, watching a man with a scraggly blonde ponytail and two broken legs try to give me the death glare. "She told you, didn't she?" I asked.

"About how her attack? Yes," he replied, still glowering at me. "Why did she lie? Why did you?"

"We lied to you, to protect you," I answered. "There were a lot of unknowns, Jimmy, at least at the time. We know more now, but we had to keep you in the dark. I'm sorry, Jimmy. I know you know who I am and what I do for my job."

"I do and I understand why you kept me in the dark, but was my diner going kaboom because of Bella's association with you?" he asked.

"If you want to win that lawsuit Jenks is preparing for you, I can't answer that," I muttered. He nodded. "Jimmy, I know that I'm not the guy you probably want to marry your niece."

"I beg to differ, Edward. You're handsome, well-educated and you treat Bella like a queen. Your occupation leaves much to be desired, but I know my niece is protected," he whispered. "That she's loved. Fuck knows that I love her more than my own life. I gave her as much of a childhood as I could, but she took care of Charlie for so long and her mother … what a cunt. I'm surprised she hasn't made her presence known. Renee has a unique knack of attacking Bella while she's down."

"We had a private detective look her up," I said. "She's married to some minor league pitcher and living in Jacksonville."

"Heh. She's got a new gravy train," Jimmy laughed. "So, maybe she'll leave her daughter alone. Bella's better off without her incubator."

"What's her mother's deal? Bella doesn't talk about Renee," I muttered.

"Renee is the most self-serving, spoiled, bitchy woman you'll ever meet," Jimmy growled.

"Eh, I could come up with someone else who's pretty bad," I argued. "My brother's ex-wife."

"Bella told me about Rosalie and she's a kitten compared to the evilness that is Renee Higginbotham Swan. It was always about her. She didn't care about her daughter and made Charlie feel guilty for spending time with his child. When Bella was younger and had to visit her mother, Renee wouldn't change her plans and would leave Bella unattended. When she came back, I think Bella was eight or nine, with a huge burn on her hand from trying to cook herself dinner, Charlie went to the courts and tried to get full custody. The judge refused to allow Charlie to have full custody, but amended the agreement so Renee would have supervised visits," Jimmy sighed, shaking his head.

"Why would the judge not …? That makes zero sense," I growled.

"Old-school judge who believed that the woman was the best option for the child. However, the fact that Renee didn't have a job and refused to get one, and that played in our favor," Jimmy explained. "Bella still had to see Renee, but it was under the supervision of a social worker. She played into the social worker's good graces."

"Let me guess, the social worker was a guy?" I deadpanned. Jimmy wrinkled his nose and nodded. "And she blew him or fucked him …"

"Correct on both counts," Jimmy retorted. "The supervised visits stopped after six months and Bella was back to spending time with Renee, unsupervised. She never came back with burns or bruises, but she was always withdrawn when she returned from Renee's. And it got worse after Charlie got sick. It takes a lot for me to hate someone, but I _hate_ Renee. Hate is even too kind. She doesn't care. She doesn't care about Bella, Charlie or anyone but Renee or ways to PLEASE Renee. So, her getting remarried to some poor sucker is probably for the best. Though, I'd keep an eye on her. She may, once her latest hubby realizes that she's cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs, come back to wreak havoc on Bella."

"Duly noted," I sighed.

"Regardless, you and Bella work well together. You dote on her and she adores you," Jimmy said. "But, you cheat on her, I'll shove a knife up your ass."

"Never, Jimmy. She's it for me," I smiled. "She's all I'll ever want."

"Then, we cool. Now, can you give me a beer?" he pleaded.

"Not while you're on pain medication, Jimmy," I laughed. He scowled. "How about we watch the Cubs?"

"Without beer?" he whined.

"Without beer," I snickered.

 **BPOV**

A couple of days later, I went to a pulmonologist for my relapse of pneumonia. Alice wanted me to be checked for any permanent damage. She was an excellent doctor, but with such two horrible bouts of pneumonia so close together, she wanted me checked out by a specialist. Thankfully, after several chest x-rays and a harrowing test in a tiny tube to check my lung function, I was deemed okay. I was given a rescue inhaler and was told that I'd probably more than likely to get bronchitis when I got sick. So, I had to take care of myself.

Easily done.

I never wanted to experience pneumonia. Ever. Again.

The only residual issues I had were a cough and a slight rasp in my voice from said cough. But, that was waning with each day that passed.

After work, Edward came in and he sat down next to me, holding his laptop. I'd completed my two papers, submitted them and was spending time just being a slacker in the condo, but still planned the wedding. He was still dressed in his suit and looking all smexy. _I wonder if we can have some naked fun time tonight. I miss him._

"I see you looking at me like a steak, _cara,_ " he snickered. "Not yet. Alice said another week and we can resume our bedroom activities."

"Damn it," I grumbled. "What's up, though? You look like you're planning something."

"Not planning. Thinking," he smirked, twining our fingers together. "When we were over visiting Jimmy, my dad mentioned something about when he would hand the reins over to me. I can't exactly run the family in a condo. He said that he wanted us to purchase a house, in the same neighborhood as theirs."

"I like where they live, but it's far from the city," I said, wrinkling my nose.

"Exactly," he laughed. "So, seeing as I have a real estate agent at my fingertips – Emmett – I asked him to pull together some options that were in gated communities, but close to the city with land for an extra property for the 'Fortress.'"

"And? What did he find?" I asked.

"Not much," he sighed. "There are four or five properties that meet the criteria that I gave him, but they are not as close to Chicago as I'd like." He opened up his laptop and there were four tabs open on the web browser. "Oh, and they're all in dire need of renovations."

"So, nothing is move-in ready?" I frowned.

"Nope. All of them are channeling their love wood paneling, shag carpeting and venetian blinds," he deadpanned.

"The fact that you know what those are scare me, Edward," I snickered, looking through the properties and there was nothing redeeming about any of them. The first property was too big. Who the fuck needs twelve bedrooms? The Cullen Estate had six, plus an apartment over the garage. The second property was just ugly and overpriced. The bones of the home were not that great either and it would be too much to take on. "Oh, honey. This third place? No one should ever use avocado green on every flat surface."

"And from what Emmett told me, they had _a lot_ of cats," he shuddered. "He sent a junior associate and she reported that it smelled like cat piss. She also said that there was astroturf in the dining room instead of carpeting."

"No," I said, my eyes wide. "Who would think that is an appropriate design choice?"

"Someone who is clearly still living in the seventies," he snorted. "The last one has nice curb appeal, but the inside is haunted, supposedly."

"I'm vetoing that on principle," I grumbled. "Are there any homes in your parents' subdivision?"

"I knew you were going to ask that," he chuckled, kissing my temple.

"None of that chaste crap. Give me a real one," I said, poking his side. He smiled at me softly, caressing my cheek and brushed his lips against mine. I nibbled on his lower lip and he groaned, pressing his forehead to mine. "Why are you groaning?"

"Because I want to fuck you," he answered simply.

"What's stopping you?" I pouted.

"I don't want to jeopardize your health. One week. ONE WEEK and I'll fuck you stupid," he vowed, crashing his lips against mine and plunging his tongue into my mouth. I moaned, grasping his lapels. Too quickly, he pulled back. "You're a fucking siren, Isabella." He kissed me again and took the laptop from my hands. "These are some options that Emmett found in my parents' subdivision and another, more affluent neighborhood just north of there."

I looked at the pictures and they all seemed like decent options, all unique but move-in ready, _thank GOD!_ After discussing it with Edward, we decided that we'd go up to visit Carlisle and Esme. Emmett, acting as our real estate agent, would show us the four options. It also worked out since Esme needed my help in finalizing the guest list. It was not like I was inviting many people. Everyone that we'd be inviting was from Edward's side of the family and that was a lot of fucking people.

After calling Emmett, setting up a time to meet him at the first property, we ate dinner and then spent time relaxing in the living room. When we went to bed, I did manage to convince Edward in letting me give him a blowjob. He was still rock hard after our little make out session on the couch while deciding on where to purchase our home. It took very little convincing and to be honest, his jizz felt good on my slightly sore throat.

The combination of hot, salty and sticky … does a body good, hmmmm?

 **EPOV**

"You know, you could have done this yourself. You have your own real estate license, Edward," Emmett said, chuckling quietly, as we walked into the first of the four houses. This one was in our parents' subdivision and looked eerily like their place.

"I know, but I want to be the buyer and not the agent, buyer and everything rolled into one," I grumbled.

"But, baby, you're going to be the head honcho of the family in a few short months," Bella quipped.

"Exactly. I'm going to have enough on my plate. I don't need another layer of bullshit. Besides, think of your commission, Em," I said, giving my brother a shitty grin.

"Good point," Emmett snorted. "Do you want me to give you the guided tour, earn my money, or do you just want to poke around?"

"We'll poke around in this one. The one I really want a guided tour is the A-frame in the other subdivision," Bella cooed, her nose wrinkled. "It smells old in here."

"A bit musty," I said.

"This place has been on the market for a year," Emmett shrugged. "It's overpriced and anytime that someone puts an offer in, the sellers scoff when it's below asking. This is not worth five million dollars. If I had to guess, maybe a million, million-five?"

"Even that's too much," Bella muttered, looking at some of the damage to the home. It wasn't as bad as the placed that Emmett found within the city. Just mainly wear and tear. The wood floors needed to be resurfaced, the walls were yellowed and the carpeting definitely had to be replaced. "Okay, I misspoke. This kitchen is gorgeous."

"Apparently having a Viking stove and quartz countertops means you can ask an exorbitant amount of money. You can't shine a turd," Emmett laughed.

"True," Bella said. "The rest of the place is a bit of a dump. The bones are good … open floor plan."

"But, the bedrooms are small," Emmett said and we went upstairs. I was shocked at how small they were. Even with opening them up and rearranging, it was not ideal. "So, this is a no?"

"Hell no," Bella giggled.

"Let's go to the other neighborhood. Those homes are newer," I said, twining my fingers with Bella's. We left the house and drove a few miles up the road to the newer neighborhood. It was also gated. We had to be escorted by their own private security force, which I liked. We went to the first house in the neighborhood. Emmett gave us the tour, but we knew right away it wasn't for us.

Too ostentatious.

Yes, I was going to be the leader of one of the largest mafia families in the world, but I didn't want to live like King fucking Midas. I wanted my house to be a home. Not a castle.

The second option was the one Bella wanted to see. It looked like a rustic cabin, that was three stories tall. The center of the house was essentially an A-frame home, but it was beautiful. Every inch of it was decorated exquisitely. It felt like home. Bella loved it. I loved it, but I didn't like the price, nor the location.

It was too expensive. Emmett agreed. Plus, the location was too exposed with very little land. Emmett said that he'd try to get the price down if this was the option we wanted, but the locale was a deal-breaker for me. Bella tried to give me the puppy-dog eyes, but unless this was pushed back and hidden more, with five times more land, I'd jump on this in a heartbeat.

The final stop was right on the waterfront, but hidden from the road. It had a long and winding driveway, with a gate. Once we got to the house, it was a beautiful, but large, stone cottage. It had a three-car garage, brick-paver driveway (which I was told was heated) and exquisite landscaping. "Oooh, this is pretty," Bella whispered.

"How many bedrooms?" I asked Emmett.

"Six bedrooms, six bathrooms," he replied. "All completely renovated and gorgeous inside. The architect personally built this house for himself, but decided to put it up for sale when his mom got sick. All high-end finishes and tight, tight security. It's got the Fortress above the garage. Whomever you have with you full-time, Jake or Jasper, they'll have their own apartment."

"Not Jasper," Bella said. I frowned. "He's married to Alice. They need their own space, Edward."

"Good point," I sighed.

"There's a smaller house for sale next door, also owned by the same person. Maybe we can get a two-for-one deal," Emmett snickered.

"How much for that?" I asked.

"Let me check," Emmett said. "You guys … do your thing. Don't fuck in there. You don't own it. Yet."

I flipped him off and we went inside. Where the cabin house was rustic, this one was warm and felt welcoming. The colors were neutral, with a pop of color here and there. The kitchen was gorgeous and Bella about had an orgasm over the layout. She practically crawled on top of the island, wanting to claim it as her own. In the basement, it was finished and it opened up to a beautiful backyard overlooking the lake. It had an intricate brick paver patio with lights, a built-in fire pit and an outdoor kitchen. To the left, there was a hot tub. "I think we also get a slip for a boat," I said. I pulled out my phone and pulled up the details. I snorted. "And a boat."

"What the fuck are we going to do with a boat?" Bella laughed.

"Have sex?" I retorted.

"Now?" she pleaded.

"No, _dolce,"_ I laughed. "We're not going to copulate in a house that's not ours."

"But, from the look in your eyes, you want it to be," she smiled.

"Let's check out the bedrooms," I replied.

"Is that wise? We're both horny," she giggled as she threaded our fingers together.

"I'm in control. Are you?" I quipped, blowing a raspberry into her neck. Her giggles turned to shrieks as we went up the stairs to the top level. There were five huge bedrooms, plus an open loft with bookshelves. On the opposite side of the house, we saw the master bedroom. It was large with two massive walk-in closets. In the closet closest to the bathroom, there was a hidden panel. I opened it, finding a cavernous room. It could be used as a panic room and storage for weaponry.

"Edward?" Bella called.

I slid the panel back where it should be and followed her voice. She was inside of a gorgeous bathroom, with marble floors and elegant quartz counter tops. "I can see it in your face, _cara,_ " I laughed.

"I want to marry this house," she whispered. She climbed into the huge tub and sprawled out. "I could do laps in here!"

"You could," I laughed. She sat up, tugged my hand and dragged me into the bath tub. "Really?"

"Really," she snickered. "I loved the cabin house, but this one? I can see us having a family here."

"A f-f-f-family?" I whispered.

"You do want that, don't you?" she smiled, her face so open and beautiful. "A family? Children?"

"If you asked me six months ago, I would have laughed in your face," I answered honestly, but I pulled her over my lap and held her to me. "But now? I want babies. I want babies with you. I want to fill these rooms, Bella."

"Then, let's make an offer," she breathed, kissing my lips and wriggling her hips over me.

"EDWARD? BELLA?" Emmett called. He burst into the master bedroom and screamed like a girl when he saw us in the bathtub. "THE FUCK?! You're fucking in the bathroom?" He covered his eyes, moaning loudly.

"No, you idiot," I said, standing up and getting out of the tub. "We were talking."

"In the tub?" Emmett asked, spreading his fingers and seeing we were fully clothed.

"It was an important discussion," Bella snickered. "We want the house."

"Okay!" Emmett beamed. "And the house next door is for sale. Do you want me to put an offer in on it as well?"

"Is it as nice as this one?" I asked.

"Similar finishes, but about half the size," Emmett answered. "And there's room for a clinic in the basement. Jasper, who was hanging out by the car, said that Alice didn't really care, but he liked it."

"Then, yes. Put in an offer," I nodded. "Quick close, if possible."

"I know the deal," Emmett said, using his phone and hopping up onto the counter top. He spoke rapidly and professionally with the seller/owner. When he said cash offer, quick close, I knew that we'd gotten both properties. "Excellent! I'll send over the paperwork and we'll meet up with your attorney early next week to sign the houses over to my client. It was a pleasure …"

"We got it?" Bella squeaked. "Like that. No worries about a mortgage or whatever?"

"Bella, we have billions in various offshore accounts. None of this mortgage shit," Emmett cackled. "I'm going over to Mom and Dad's to send over the contract. Congrats, kids. You just bought yourselves two new houses!"

I pulled Bella into my arms and I sighed contentedly. "Welcome home, _cara,"_ I whispered, kissing her forehead. "Welcome home."

 **A/N: So … kind of a filler chapter. Not all of them are going to have lemons, drama and explosions. But, there will be lemons, drama and explosions, eventually. I also planned out the ending of the story. I had a massive bout of insomnia on Tuesday and I started planning out a new story, plus figuring out the ending for this one. Bonus for me!**

 **I can also tell you that there will be a _SEQUEL_ to Married to the Mob. Title, to be determined, but I'm not done with The Boss and Dolce. Anyway, pictures of the houses that Edward and Bella toured (minus the janky ones) are on my blog. Also, thank you to my members of my FB group for helping me pick the final house that they chose. Pictures of the interior will come with the next update, along with pictures of Jasper and Alice's new digs, too. **

**Up next will be them moving into their new home, some drama involving Edward and The Boss coming out to play. Leave me some support. Thank you for reading!**


	17. Chapter 17

**So, none of this is mine. I wrote the first chapter for a contest and now, I'm expanding it. What I own … a condo and too many books. What I don't … _Twilight_ and all its characters. If I did, I'd be rich … _Sigh,_ I'm so not rich. LOL! **

**Up next will be them moving into their new home, some drama involving Edward and The Boss coming out to play. With that being said, there is a violence warning at the end. _You've been warned._**

 **Chapter Seventeen**

 **EPOV**

In our bedroom at the condo, Bella was carefully packing our clothing. We were keeping the condo for when I needed to deal with something in the city or when Bella had to go to classes at night. However, we were moving into the new house in a matter of a day. Two weeks after we'd closed on it, Bella and my mother purchased gorgeous furniture for the place and it was being delivered. My parents were signing for the receipt of the furniture while Bella and I finished up clearing out the condo, which was mainly our clothing, kitchen utensils that Bella couldn't live without and my cache of weaponry.

Jasper and Jacob had set up the Fortress in the apartment above the garage and moved Jacob in. They also installed a state-of-the-art security system, complete with motion detectors, night-vision cameras and an electrified fence. The house was more secure than Fort Knox.

Jasper would work with Bella and my mom to furnish his home, but for now, he was staying in his condo with Alice in The Pinnacle. She was working on creating a clinic in the basement, complete with a surgical suite, examination room and recovery room. But, she had to move slowly, not rousing suspicion. Apparently, purchasing large amounts of medical equipment was suspect.

 _Really, you think?_

"Edward?" Bella called. I walked into the bedroom from the office. She was dressed in a pair of shorts, showcasing her long-ass legs. "Dude, you're staring. My legs are pasty. Not at all sexy, Mobward."

"You're gorgeous. Shut up," I snorted, giving her a playful glare. "What is it, _cara?_ "

"Can you get the other wardrobe box from the storage area?" she asked. "This one's filled and I haven't even made a dent in _your_ clothing. You have more clothes than a woman, Edward."

"I blame Zafrina," I chuckled. "She is constantly trying to send me the latest fashions. I've got a model's body, supposedly." Bella's face hardened, her lips pursed. "What?"

"Did you ever fuck her?" she snapped, her eyes narrowed at me.

"Zafrina? No!" I answered, putting my hands on my hips. "I don't have the right equipment. She'd rather fuck you than me."

"Oh … OH!" Bella said. "I'm sorry. I'm just being … I'm sorry." She blushed and hid her face. I walked over to her, pulling her into my arms. She was stiff. I kissed her neck and she melted, her arms snaking around my middle. "I didn't mean to be such a bitch, Edward. I'm just … I miss you."

"I'm right here, _cara,_ " I whispered, my fingers brushing through her soft curls of her hair.

"Not that way," she groaned and sitting down. "I'm horny, okay? Ever since I got sick, again, you haven't touched me. A few kisses here and there, but … It's like I'm plagued or something. Alice gave me the go-ahead. Complete with a new depo shot!"

"With all that's happened, Uncle Jimmy's diner going up in flames, your illness and us moving, I didn't want to think that I was using your body for sex, Bella," I said, brushing my fingers along her cheeks. "I miss you, too. I miss sliding into your hot, wet, _tight_ pussy."

"Oh, fuck me," she whimpered.

"I will … tonight, after I take you out to dinner. Our last dinner in the city, for at least the foreseeable future," I quipped, kissing her deeply. She melted against me, nibbling on my lower lip. I pulled away and she pouted adorably. "Now, let me help you finish packing. I'm done with what I needed to get done." I searched through the closet and pulled out a navy-blue dress. It looked similar to the dress she'd worn on our first date. "Wear this tonight … no panties." Her eyes widened. I kissed her and walked away, grabbing the wardrobe box from storage.

We worked together, emptying out the closet. When it was just filled with the bare minimum for both of us, the boxes were loaded up in a rental truck, along with my various guns and weaponry, Bella's boxes of kitchenware and Jacob drove them up to the new house. While Bella took a shower, I made reservations at same restaurant we'd had our first date. I also spoke with Jasper, arranging for a limo from our fleet of cars. One with a privacy screen …

If you catch my drift … Limo sex was fucking hot.

I wanted a redo for our first date. Yes, it was almost nine months in the making, but I wanted to woo my future wife, like I _should have_ when we first met. I was too hasty in making my indecent proposal. Yes, Bella had forgiven me and we were now moving forward, creating a wonderful life together, but I wanted, I needed to fix our past.

As Bella got ready, I put on a suit and added my requisite protection. Jasper came up, dressed like a limo driver, wearing all black. "Where's your wife?"

"She's working tonight," he answered. "Emily, Garrett's sister, is on tonight, too. I've got a couple of guys acting like orderlies. They're safe."

"Good," I nodded. "Any word about Royce or Stephan?"

"Nope. And Vicky packed up, moving back home to her mother in Omaha as of week ago," Jasper said. "Your father was a scary mother fucker when he talked to her. She got a haircut courtesy of Carlisle. The woman is damn near bald."

"Tell me about it," I snorted. "It's how he got so far as the head of the family. He's got a cool head, but he can be brutal when dispensing out punishments. Do I need to remind you about that douche who we caught? The one he cut off …"

"Yes, Boss," Jasper choked out, cupping his manly bits. "Would you do that?"

"If it was warranted, yes," I nodded firmly, cracking my knuckles. "Now, we're coming back here tonight, but tomorrow, we're officially moving into the new house."

"Sounds good. I'll stay here, and make sure that the Fortress and your condo are locked up tight," Jasper said, swinging the car keys. "And once I get Alice to look at our new home, I'll talk with Bella and Esme about decorating it. I love my wife, but she's more interested in the medical side of things. She was looking at surgical instruments and crazy shit for her new clinic. I suggested she move her stuff from Carlisle and Esme's basement, but she said that it was necessary to keep it there. She said you never know when you're going to need medical attention." He shrugged, giving me a wry smile. "I'm going to pull around the limo. And Boss, don't ruin the upholstery."

"It's my car and if I want to ruin the upholstery, I will," I said, arching a brow dangerously.

"But, you don't have to clean it," Jasper grumbled. I crossed my arms and he held up his hands, leaving the condo. _Wise decision._

I sipped some water and watched as Bella came out, wearing her sexy blue dress, the jewelry I'd gotten her for our time out at Bound and Gagged and a pair of strappy gunmetal heels. Her hair was curled, pinned over one shoulder. "Hmmmmm, you look gorgeous, _dolce_ ," I purred.

"So do you, handsome," she smiled, walking over to me and running her fingers along the lapels of my Prada suit. "Is this what you wore on our first date?"

I nodded, kissing her nose. "I wanted to spoil you, and give you the first date we should have had."

"Edward, our first date was amazing, despite its ending," she said, moving her hands up my shoulders and toying with the hair just above my collar. "I knew there was something about you that made you larger than life, but I didn't expect it to be a future mafia don."

I smirked, kissing her soft lips. "I'm glad you accepted me, my thug-like ways and all."

"Last I checked, thugs don't have Ivy League degrees and a multi-million-dollar corporation," she said.

"That's legal money. I have about two billion in illegal funds hidden in various accounts all over the world," I purred. Bella squeaked, her eyes wide. "Now, Ms. Swan, may I escort you to dinner?"

 **BPOV**

He really was going above and beyond with our date. In the limo, there were a dozen lavender roses, just like when we first met. He took one of the stems, clipping it with his ever-present blade and tucked it behind my ear. "Thank you, Mr. Cullen," I cooed.

"My pleasure, Ms. Swan," he beamed, threading our fingers together. His thumb ran across my engagement ring and he picked up my hand, kissing the knuckle just below it. "I still can't believe that I get to keep you, Bella."

"The same could be said for you, Mobward," I teased. He gave me a good-natured scowl. "I only tease the ones I love. Deal with it." He scoffed, tugging me closer and I snuggled to his side. "Did you ever expect to be married?"

"I knew that it was expected. I didn't know it was a requirement in order to lead my family," he shrugged. "I wanted to get married. I just was afraid of finding someone who could understand what I did, but not in the business, the family. The women, the single women in our world, are not very … well, let's just say that the Denalis were probably the best option."

I wrinkled my nose, remembering what Alice and Esme said about them. "Will they be coming to the wedding?" I asked, trying to remember from when I met with Esme, going over the guest list.

"Eleazar and Carmen are close friends of the family and valuable allies. As far as I know, Kate is now dating someone. Irina is dabbling in being a lesbian and Tanya … she's … well …" Edward trailed off.

"She's a whore," I provided. He nodded. "Will she try to come on to you?"

"To be honest, all of the Denalis know that I'm off the market. I spoke to Eleazar. He'd hoped that I'd marry one of his daughters, but they were not long-term options," Edward answered. "My mother said there were two types of women. One type is the one you bring home to mom and dad, the ones you marry, you have a family with, you spend the rest of your life. The other type are the ones you fuck."

"I'm assuming I'm the first type," I snickered.

"No, a combination of the two," he purred, his eyes dilating and his voice deepening, his lips gliding along the column of my neck. "My mother adores you, but when I fuck you? Better than anything in the world, Isabella." He pulled me close and pressed an open-mouthed kiss below my jaw, suckling just behind my ear.

"So, in reality there are three types of women," I laughed breathily.

"It would appear so. The marrying types, the skanky types and perfection," he chuckled, biting on my earlobe. "You, my love, are perfection personified."

"Edward," I panted.

"Are you wet?" he chuckled darkly.

"Soaked. So much so that I'm worried I'm going to ruin my dress. You asked me not to wear any panties," I giggled as his hand glided up my leg, inching my skirt higher. His hand stopped at my inner thigh, just below my pussy. "Edward …"

"What, _cara?_ " he asked, his tongue doing wicked things to my neck.

"I don't put out on the first date."

"Good thing it's not our first date. Just a _recreation_ ," he crooned. "I want to end the date properly. Kissing you, loving you, fucking you."

"You would have fucked me?" I asked.

"I would have kissed the living shit out of you," he said, turning my face and barely grazing my lips with his. "And you told me the same thing after I dropped you off that night we met."

"I did," I said, draping my leg over his. His hand moved closer to my sex. "You can probably feel the heat of my arousal, hmmm?"

"It's taking all of my willpower not to sink my fingers inside," he growled, his hand clutching to my neck. "I want to lift your skirt and eat, devour your pussy until you come all over me."

"Fuck," I whimpered.

"Later, love. I have a plan. You were quite the little exhibitionist when we went to Bound and Gagged," he smirked. "That video? I've watched it so much, Bella."

"You have?" I asked.

"Yes, baby. I cut the two clips together, making our own private porno. It was the only thing keeping me sane while you were recuperating from being sick. I watched the hottest night of my existence as I licked your clit and slid into your hot, needy pussy," he growled.

I let out a choked whimper. "And t-t-t-tonight?" I stuttered.

"I'm going to make you come while we're out to dinner. My fingers are going to fuck you and you are not going to make a sound, Isabella," he smiled against my skin. He removed his hand from my thigh and he sat back, seemingly unaffected. But, I felt his hardness against my knee. The car pulled up to the restaurant. Edward moved my leg and he slid closer to the door. Jasper opened it. Edward got out first and I slid out, being mindful of my lack of underwear. Edward twined his fingers with mine and nodded to Jasper, who pulled the car away.

"Where's he going?" I asked.

"He's parking the car. Seth is inside," Edward replied, holding open the door for me.

"How do you pull all of this together so quickly?" I questioned as we were led up to the same table we sat at about nine months previously.

"We're a finely oiled machine," Edward laughed, helping me into the booth and sitting down next to me. We nibbled on some bread and he ordered some wine when the server came over to us. " _Dolce_ , you have to understand. This has been my life since I was born. I've always had protection. There are rules of engagement amongst us thugs."

"What are those rules of engagement?" I asked

"Usually, women and children are not to be harmed," he said. "And by children, anyone under the age of eighteen. My father didn't trust his enemies, so I always had a body guard. For a while, it was Billy. When I got older and went away to school, Jasper became my protection. He got an Ivy League education along with protecting my ass."

"What was his major?" I pressed. "Same as you?"

"Essentially," he shrugged. "He was in most of my classes, but he managed to major in history. What he was going to do with that, I have no idea. The history is in the past … it doesn't change, you know?"

"But, you can learn so much from the past," I countered. "Learn from previous mistakes, hmmmm?"

"This is true," Edward chuckled, leaning over and kissing my lips. He hummed contentedly. "You taste like the wine. Combined with your lips, it's a heady combo. Love you, so much, _cara._ "

"I love you, too," I breathed, giving him a tender grin and caressing his cheek. I felt the stubble from his beard on my fingers. I couldn't help but press my cheek to his, feeling the roughness of his whiskers, coupled with the warmth of his skin.

"Imagine that between your legs, Isabella," he cooed against my ear.

"Oh, shit," I whimpered. "Is that a promise?"

"It's a vow," he growled, kissing me deeply and sitting back, pouring more wine for us. He moved me closer to his side and draped my leg over his knee. His hand glided along my inner thigh and he picked up the menu with his other hand. "Do you know what you want?"

"You," I said.

"As tempting as that may be, I'm not on the menu, _dolce_ ," he quipped, his hand massaging my thigh. "Do you want me to order for us?"

Not able to form a complete thought, I nodded as the server came over with her cloying perfume, ratted hair and flirty grin. Edward calmly smiled, distant but pleasant. "First off, we'd both like a cup of the clam chowder." His fingers danced closer to my core. I bit my lip, looking at him and trying to keep my face impassive. "Then, I'd like the caprese salad, but my fiancée would like Greek salad, no tomatoes." He teased my folds, making me squirm. "For the main course, we both want the pecan crusted halibut, garlic mashed potatoes and asparagus. And with the main course, can we have a bottle of the Conundrum?"

"Any appetizers?" the waitress asked.

Edward slid two of his fingers into my body and I squeaked, gripping his bicep. He chuckled, slowly massaging my inner muscles. "We're fine with the soup and salad. Perhaps some more water?"

"Of course, sir." The waitress nodded and scurried away.

Edward flipped his hand, his thumb pressed to my clit. "You made a sound, _cara,_ " he chided. His fingers were slowly moving on my sex and I was biting my lip. "I so wanted to make you come before dinner, but you didn't follow the simplest of instructions."

"You surprised me," I pouted.

"I asked you not to wear panties and my hand was right there. How was it a surprise?" he asked, his green eyes twinkling. He kept slowly pumping his hand in and out, making me get closer to my release. With an evil grin, he removed his fingers. He smiled, kissing me. "Taste …" He ran his finger along my lips and I could smell my essence. "Wrap your lips around my fingers, Isabella."

I did as he asked, moaning around the remnants of my arousal in his fingertips. He pulled his hand away from my mouth and he kissed me again. "You're a tease, Edward."

"I'm not a tease if I plan on following through," he smirked, taking a sip of his wine. He moved my leg off his lap and he pulled me close to his side. "But, delayed gratification … it has a certain appeal, no?"

"Evil, evil man," I grumbled, my pussy throbbing with need. "And you're going to pay for the dry cleaning of this dress, Cullen."

"Gladly," he purred. "Now, let's talk honeymoon."

 **EPOV**

We finished our meal and went outside. It was still a little chilly in the late spring evening, but the rooftop bar had a heated area and several fire pits. Bella said she wanted to go on a honeymoon, someplace quiet, private and romantic. She didn't care where, but she didn't have a passport, so it would have to be local. I sent a text to Jasper, asking him to talk to Jenks about getting Bella a passport, in her married name. Apparently, it was already in the process of being made.

 _Just in case we need to leave the country immediately._

I was smart in making Jasper my right-hand man.

There was a jazz band playing on the rooftop. Several couples were dancing and I stood up. "Dance with me, _dolce_ ," I said. "Please?"

Bella gave me a tender smile, taking my hand. I led her to the dance floor and swayed to a funky, but romantic version of 'At Last' by Etta James. The singer was male and had a raspy tone to his voice that made it quite different from any version I'd ever heard. I held Bella's beautifully feminine form in my arms and I felt at peace. Bella's head was on my chest and her hand was cupped in mine over my heart. "I want this song to be our first dance song, Edward," Bella said, moving closer to me.

"I agree," I smiled, kissing her forehead. I spun her and she laughed as I dipped her when the song ended. "Let's go home." I brushed my lips against hers. I righted her and we left the restaurant. Jasper had the limo waiting outside. I nodded to him. We would be going home, but not right away. I knew that Bella was squirming and needed release.

Hell, so did I. My cock was pressed against the zipper of my pants and it was angry for being deprived for so long.

Once in the limo, I raised the privacy shield. Bella gave me a seductive smile and unzipped her dress. She shimmied it off, revealing a sheer bra. "I've waited long enough, Mobward. Delayed gratification. None of that shit. I want your mouth on my pussy. Now," she commanded, laying back and spreading her legs.

I smirked, seeing how aroused she was. Her lower lips were swollen and so needy. Shrugging out of my suit coat and shirt, I knelt down on the floor. I kissed up her leg and inhaled deeply. She was so turned on. Her scent permeated the confined space of the limo. I pressed my mouth on her sex, my tongue sliding inside her. Bella moaned, loudly and her hands flew to my hair. She was sweet, tangy and fucking perfection. Her arousal coated my tongue and her hips rocked against my face. Looking up, I cupped her breasts, shoving up her bra and twisting her nipples while flicked my tongue on her clit.

"Fuck, Edward," she moaned. I smiled against her.

Yes, you were going to fuck Edward. And I was going to fuck Bella, too.

I eased two fingers into her pussy and kept my mouth on her. Bella was thrashing, rolling her hips and from the volume of her moans, her weeping pussy, and muscles clenching around my hand, I knew she was close. She babbled incoherently, pleading for release. Curling my fingers inside her she tensed and she arched off the leather seats of the limo. With a guttural shout, she collapsed and was panting heavily. I kissed her sex once more and suckled along her inner thighs.

"Wow," she huffed out. "It's been too long." She sat up, shaky and uncoordinated. She shook her head, smiling seductively. "Your turn, handsome." She crawled over to me, unbuckling my belt and opening my pants. She kissed me, her tongue plunging into my mouth. Together, we pushed my pants and boxer briefs down. Straddling my hips, she rolled her hips over mine. "Inside. I need you inside, Edward."

"Yes," I growled, grasping my cock and teasing her still swollen folds. "I love you, Bella. I only want you."

"Take me. Make me yours," she panted. Stilling my cock, I gripped her hip and teased my tip just inside her. "Edward … fuck! PLEASE!"

"I could never deny you anything, _mia cara,_ " I growled as I thrust up and pushed her down, impaling her on my length. She moaned against my mouth and her fingers tangled in my hair, pulling on the strands tightly. I stayed seated in her, relishing the feeling of her pussy surrounding my erection. She clung to me, all wet and warm and so fucking tight. I pulled back, taking her face in my hands. "Look at me. See how much I love you."

"As I love you," she said, her brown eyes gazing back into mine.

"Take me, Bella. You said for me to make you mine, but I want you to claim me," I whispered. She whimpered, rolling her hips and forcing me deeper inside of her body. We were so close together. We shared one body, one soul, one heart. Yes, we had a kinky, erotic sex life, but it was stemmed in love. It had been too long since we'd shared each other. I couldn't imagine _not_ having her. My life was so dark, violent, empty without her. But, Bella gave me life, gave me hope and gave me love. "Bella …" I prattled words of love and forever in Italian, making her sob. She kissed me, her body clinging to mine as we were lost in each other.

I held off my orgasm for as long as I could. I didn't want to leave her body. I wanted to be inside her forever. With her, I found my strength and my solace. "Edward … I'm …" she panted, her lips covering mine. "With me, baby."

" _Sempre_ ," I whispered against her mouth. " _Ti amo, mia cara. Sempre_." She clung to me as her body tightened around my cock. Her legs shook and she trembled in my arms, a sob of ecstasy coming from her lips. Her orgasm triggered mine and I spilled, erupting inside her. We stayed joined, our arms lazily caressing any skin within reach. The car eventually came to a stop, but Jasper knew to give us a moment.

"What did you say?" she asked. "I understood a little bit, but not all …"

"I said that I loved you until the last star fell from the sky. Forever. I love you, my beloved. Forever," I whispered, brushing her sweaty hair away from her face.

"It sounds so much better in Italian," she smiled, brushing her lips over mine. "More poetic." She snuggled against me and looked out the window. "Oh, we're back at the condo."

"Yeah," I said, holding her closer. "I just want to be transported up to the bedroom."

"Life doesn't work that way," Bella teased, stiffly moving off my lap. She readjusted her bra and pulled on her dress. She used some Kleenex to wipe between her legs and hissed slightly.

"You okay?" I asked, sliding my pants and boxers over my hips.

"Just sore. You're so big," she said. "You got a license to carry that concealed weapon?"

"We'll take a bath when we get upstairs," I smiled, rolling my eyes.

"We packed all of the towels, Edward," she snickered. I scowled. "It's not a big deal, baby."

"No, I'll send Jasper out to get some towels. I'm sorry I hurt you," I frowned.

"You didn't hurt me, Mobward," she said, gliding over to me and snuggling to my side. "My girlie bits are a bit out of practice." I kissed her forehead and put on my shirt and suit coat, not buttoning it up. "Oh no. This is mine. No one gets to see your smexiness, Cullen."

"What about when we go to a beach?" I asked, waggling my brows as she fastened a few buttons in the middle.

"I hadn't thought of that," she frowned. I laughed and threaded her fingers with mine, heading upstairs.

"Apparently, I fucked the smarts out of you, Isabella," I teased. Bella smacked me and we snickered as we went up to our condo.

 **BPOV**

"I appreciate your help, Esme," I said as I was putting away the new dishes we'd purchased for our new home. "Edward shot out of here like a bat out of hell this morning."

"As did Carlisle," Esme sighed. "Something happened. But, they won't tell us until it's over."

"You okay, Uncle Jimmy?" I called to him in the breakfast nook.

"I'd be more okay if I could do more than fold towels," he grumbled from his spot at the kitchen table. I snorted, grabbing a bottle of water. Jimmy had his cast removed and he was starting to rehab the less injured of his two legs. He could get around in a wheelchair, but was still gimpy and in a great deal of pain. I sat down in front of him, handing him the water bottle and a pain pill. "Are you saying I'm bitching?"

"No," I snickered. "I appreciate you folding the towels. I have six bathrooms to outfit with towels. You're saving me time." I kissed his cheek. "Love you."

"Love you, too, baby girl," he said, taking his pill. "And I love your house. This place is fucking tight!"

"Thanks. It feels like home," I giggled. "Do you want anything to eat?" Jimmy shook his head. Esme smiled, but declined. We worked for another hour, finally organizing the kitchen how I liked since I was taking over the cooking responsibilities.

Mrs. Cope would only work for us if we had a bigger dinner party. I told Edward that I felt uncomfortable having her cook for us. She'd come in a couple times a week, making several different meals and freezing them for us. She was an exceptional cook, but I loved cooking as well. When we told her that we were moving, she was relieved. She was trying figure out how to ask for more time off. She wanted to spend more time with her grandchildren. With a hug from both of us, Mrs. Cope left after we'd exchanged cell phone numbers and email addresses. We made arrangements for her to come out in a month to help and prepare for a housewarming party over Memorial Day weekend.

"Now, that we're done with the hard work, let's discuss something fun. The wedding," Esme sang, dragging me to the kitchen table. I'd taken the towels that Jimmy had folded, putting them into the various bathrooms. I also took out an antipasto tray and we munched. "Lauren called. She's nearly done with the dress. Well, sewing it. She still needs to add the crystals and embellishments."

"I want to see her in this dress," Jimmy said. "When are you going to try it on?"

"When can we?" I asked. I'd trusted Esme to make most of the arrangements.

"Next week?" she smiled. "You should be able to maneuver on crutches by then, right?"

"I'll work my ass off," Jimmy snorted. "And, what about paying for this shindig? I'm getting that insurance claim, but most of that is going to pay off the mortgage for the diner and paying my employees a small severance package. Jenks is optimistic about my winning the suits I brought against the city and the gas company."

"Jimmy, this wedding will be fit for royalty," Esme said. She took my hand and smiled softly. "Bella is marrying a mafia prince, soon-to-be king. We're having the ceremony at Holy Name Cathedral with the reception at the Patrick Haley Mansion, with four hundred guests. And that's been paired down. We could have easily invited over a thousand people."

"Holy shit," I squeaked.

"But, we're not," Esme said soothingly. "So, I'm going to be blunt. Carlisle and I are paying for the wedding. Edward is planning the honeymoon and I know you've spoken to him about that, right?"

"He's given me options, but they're limited since I don't have a passport," I shrugged.

"Sweetheart, don't even worry about that. You'll have a passport," Esme snickered. My jaw dropped in shock.

"I want to contribute something," Jimmy said, his nose wrinkled. "I may not be Bella's father, but isn't it usually the bride's family who pays for the wedding?"

"Usually," Esme replied.

"Did Rose or Rose's family pay for her wedding to Emmett?" I pressed.

"We led Rose's family to believe that they covered all of the costs, but Rosalie had expensive tastes. Emmett bridged the gap between what her parents paid for and what was presented to the families," Esme smirked. "But, I told him not to. I was unimpressed with Rosalie when I first met her and yeah … I had good reason to be. She's …"

"Esme," I growled and shot a look to my uncle. He knew that Rose and Emmett got divorced, but the reasoning behind it.

"Right," Esme said, tucking her hair behind her ears. "Less is more, Bella?" I snorted, nodding.

"Care to explain?" Jimmy asked, folding his arms over his chest.

"Nope," we both answered.

"Some creepy mafia shit, isn't it?" he grumbled.

"It's best you don't know, Jimmy," I said, tugging his hand away from his chest and squeezing his fingers. "I probably know more than I should."

"Okay, okay," he shrugged. "But, I still want to contribute to this wedding. Flowers? Photographer?"

"Well, with our lives, we have to be careful who we allow in," Esme said. "I've already spoken with our florist and we're using a close friend of Billy's to do the photography. If you want, you could pay for ONE of those things, but nothing more. Jimmy, we adore Bella and I want to do this. Having two boys, I will never get to plan a wedding and …" She smiled softly at me.

"You haven't chosen flowers, have you?" I asked.

"No. I just reserved the florist, but we should choose them quickly," she smiled. "Again, a wedding fit for royalty!"

"Good. When we go to try on her wedding dress, we go do the flower thing. I'm paying," Jimmy said, giving Esme a charming grin. "Nothing but the best for my only family."

"Fine," Esme sighed, a crooked grin on her face. Her phone vibrated, as did mine. She read the message. She blinked up. Her eyes were filled with terror. I took out my phone and saw a brief message.

 _Tell Mom to stay with you. It's not safe. There's been … I love you and I'll be home soon. I'll let you know when I get home ~ E_

 **EPOV**

"Have you heard anything from Jasper?" I asked, my heart twisting uncomfortably as shifted in the car. "I can't believe …"

"I know, Edward. And no, Jasper hasn't called me," Carlisle said. "At least the security tapes showed who did this to Alice and we know who it is. They won't survive another day."

We were sitting outside, in a nondescript car, of an older apartment complex. Jacob and Emmett were in a van around the corner. Alice was working the night shift and as she was leaving, she was jumped. Alice was lethal and could kill a man with a single jab, but she was exhausted. The attacker broke several of her ribs, gave her a couple of black eyes and tried to force into doing something she didn't want to do. Alice, however, bit down on his manly bits and sprayed his face with pepper spray. She found Felix, who was on her detail, and collapsed in his arms. He called Jasper, who in turn, called me. I called my dad and Emmett. Billy worked his magic and sent the security footage from the hospital's parking garage to our private server at the office.

Alice's attacker kept his face hidden until she bit down on his dick. When the attacker rolled away, we got a clear picture of his face. It was one of Stephan's sons. An illegitimate son from a previous relationship, a hateful man named Alec.

Alec was born about ten years after Anthony. Stephan's wife, my Aunt Maria, was struggling with fertility issues, depressed and refused to have sex with her husband. Stephan turned to other women to get his groove on. Alec and his twin sister, Jane, were the result. Jane was an evil little urchin who ran Uncle Stephan's business aspects of his life. Alec was, to put it simply, a thug.

A brute.

A monster.

He was all muscle, no brains and his words were punctuated by his fists and brutality against humanity. He made me look like a damned puppy dog. He killed so many people. He was a one-man murder spree.

Emmett texted us and said we had movement. We watched and saw Alec stomp out of his apartment. He was moving stiffly, clearly in pain from whatever Alice did to him. Unless Jasper wanted to complete the rite of vengeance. If that was the case, we'd just capture this asshole, torture him a little bit and then let Jasper have his fun.

Jacob, who had gotten out of the van at some point, sauntered over to Alec. He was slurring, asking for a smoke, but Alec wasn't buying it. Jacob was persistent until he got his hand around Alec's bicep. They were both pretty evenly matched, but Jacob overpowered him, dragging him to the van. With a harsh shove, Alec fell inside and Emmett sent another text.

 _South side, near Commiskey. You know where to go ~ Emmett_

"They've got him," I said, showing my dad my phone. I turned over the car and pulled out. "Do you want to call Jasper? To tell him?"

"Yeah," Carlisle nodded. "He'll want to fuck Alec up."

I vaguely heard my dad's conversation with my best friend and capo. From what I gathered, he was driving Alice up to my home so she could be with Bella and my mom. He also said he wanted to make Alec pay for what he'd done. But, we could have our own fun with Alec. Jasper, it would seem, wanted to take Alec's life for fucking with his wife.

 _Gladly, brother._

We arrived at the ramshackle apartment building just as the sun was setting. The entire building was owned by my company. A couple of our 'employees' lived in the apartment. From what I could tell, they were all out, doing my bidding. We'd gotten a new shipment the other day and the product needed to be delivered. I slammed a hat on my head, hiding my face. My father did the same. We went in the side entrance, walking down the garden apartment. Emmett and Jacob had taken Alec and he was tied to a rickety chair. It groaned heavily under his weight. His eyes widened when he saw my father and me.

"Hello, cousin," I smirked, removing my hat and glasses. "Did you enjoy your fun with my best friend's wife?"

He growled, wriggling in the chair but Jacob held him in the seat. "Fucking bitch nearly bit off my dick!"

"Then, you shouldn't be putting your dick where it doesn't belong," Emmett said, leaning against the door jamb. "You know you signed your death warrant."

"You pussies can't kill me," Alec laughed.

"We can't, no. Because Jasper has claimed the rite of vengeance," I said calmly. "He did say, however, that we could fuck you up." I reached behind my back and sliced his belly. The attack was like a viper, fast and nearly deadly. He screamed as his stomach gushed blood. It wasn't deep. Just enough make him hurt, a lot, and bleed.

"You'd do this to family?" Alec yelled.

"You're not my family. Your father slept with a whore and she had you," I sneered. "We're _barely_ related. And what you did to Alice? Despicable. You'd attack a woman? They're off limits. You know that. Stephan knows that." I took out my gun, complete with a silencer, shooting Alec in the knee.

"Stephan isn't calling the shots," Alec sobbed. "He's …"

"He's what?" Carlisle growled. "If you tell us, this torture will end and you'll have a swift death."

Alec slammed his mouth shut and he hissed in pain as Jacob kicked his knee. I backhanded him, angry and disgusted in his behavior. "You're the fucking pussy. If your _father_ isn't calling the shots? Who is?"

He smiled at me, blood covering his nasty teeth. "Your mama." I sneered and punched him in the nose, causing the chair to crack. He fell to the ground in a heap. Jacob picked him up, cuffing him to grating that covered the windows. I took a step back, needing to calm down. This was Jasper's kill. Not mine. But, knowing and _seeing_ what he did to Alice, it made me sick.

"Do you like taking from women?" Emmett asked, glaring at Alec. "Is this the norm?"

"Was your wife spreading her legs the norm for you, Emmett?" Alec sneered. "Oh, wait. I had that. A lot of men had that. Talk about a sloppy pussy." Emmett moved quickly, stomping on Alec's shot leg and he screamed. "God damn it, man! I was just wondering."

"Well, you're going to wonder a lot while you're being cut up into little pieces, littering the bottom of the Chicago River, asshat," Emmett spat. He stepped away, his face white with anger. "And she's not my wife. Not anymore."

"It didn't stop her," Alec hissed out. "That woman was fucking anyone with a dick for as long as you were with her. The more powerful? The more she fucked. You were a consolation prize. She wanted Edward. She wanted power, but she took what she could. Obviously, it wasn't much."

"Can I put this douche canoe out of his fucking misery?" I growled.

"It's Jasper's call," Carlisle said.

"I know that. But, can I shut him up?" I asked, glowering at the disgusting piece of crap at my feet.

"That would be nice," Carlisle laughed. "His voice is fucking annoying."

I walked behind him, capturing him into a sleeper hold. He squirmed as I slowly cut off his air supply. When he went limp, I dropped him and kicked his head. "Fucker. Jasper better get her quickly because I don't know how much longer I can maintain my patience."

Emmett checked his phone. "He sent a text. He just got off the highway and will be here in about ten minutes," he said.

"Our phones, they're being blocked?" I asked Jacob.

"The GPS system will indicate that you're at the office. Carlisle, you're at some restaurant with Emmett. And I'm at the condo," Jacob nodded. His father had set up some ingenious invention that could mask our cell signals. They couldn't be traced unless we gave whoever was tracing us with the code.

"Good," I nodded, sitting down on the leather sofa that was probably more expensive than the entire apartment. I was grateful for that because the rest of the place was a dump and smelled like curry and urine. Not a good combination of scents. I'd have to burn my clothes, but I'd settle for a thorough scrubbing before going back home.

A few moments later, the door opened and Jasper strode in. His hair was a mess and his eyes were enraged. "Where's that motherfucker?"

"Drooling on the floor," Carlisle snickered. "He was mouthing off to Emmett and Edward decided to use his head as a football."

"He's still alive," I shrugged.

Jasper reached into his pocket and pulled out a syringe. "What's that?" Emmett asked.

"A special concoction that Alice created. It'll keep him awake, even while I'm taking great pleasure in fucking him up," Jasper said, an evil grin spreading over his face. "But, I don't want him cuffed. He held my wife down, restrained her. I want his hands."

"Done," I said, unlocking the cuffs. We picked him up, laying him onto the wooden dining room table.

"Clothes off," Jasper sneered. "He will be humiliated and Stephan will know that his _son_ is no longer with us." We cut his clothes off and once he was naked, we saw the damage Alice caused to his dick.

"Damn! No wonder he had to force women," Jacob snorted.

"She damn near bit the thing off," Carlisle said, wrinkling his nose. "Good for her."

"She started his torture, but I'm going to ensure he knows that we are not going to be trifled with," Jasper growled, plunging whatever was in that syringe into Alec's thigh. He gasped, his eyes flying open. "Hello fucker!" He tugged something from behind his back and the unmistakable squelch of flesh and bone breaking filled the room with a meat cleaver. Alec screamed. Jasper held up the hand he'd just chopped off. "You like restraining women?" He slapped Alec with his own hand.

I laughed.

Emmett poked me, his brow arched. "What?" I asked. "It's mildly humorous. He's being slapped with his own hand."

Jasper smirked, the anger still there, but he saw my humor. "Now, Alec, you're fucking up the floor. Bleeding everywhere."

"Your bitch wife got what she deserved," Alec panted out.

"No, it looks like you got what you deserved. She made you a eunuch," Jasper snickered. "Edward, do you want to finish the job?"

"Nah, that's Dad's specialty," I quipped.

"I'm not touching that," Carlisle retorted dryly. Jasper chuckled and before I knew it, Alec's balls were gone. He was bleeding from his hand, his crotch, his stomach and his knee. "Damn, Jas. You nicked his femoral artery. You've only got a few minutes before he bleeds out."

"Alice warned me about that," Jasper said. "But, regardless, he's gonna die." He took out his phone, snapping a few photos. "Your daddy is going to know that you fucked up. Regardless if Stephan or whoever is charge, no one fucks with our women. This … this is a gift, Alec."

"You're going down, Cullen," Alec whispered. "My father should have been the leader of the Cullen Consortium and he will make you all …" He stopped midsentence and we saw that he was no longer breathing.

"I really wished I could have had more time to play," Jasper pouted. He walked over to the other side, cutting off his other hand. He started wailing on the corpse using the two hands. "You mother fucker! You hurt my wife! You took her choice away, you animal! I hate you! I hate you!" He pushed Alec's body off the table and he let out a sob. He threw the hands at the body as I wrapped Jasper in a hug. Jasper clung to me. "Women are supposed to be off limits."

"I know, Jas," I said, holding him tightly. I looked at Jacob. He nodded, picking up his cell phone and ordering a clean-up crew. "Come on. Let's get you out of here."

"I'll stay with Jacob to make sure that the trash is taken out," Emmett said, smirking at Alec's remains. "You two get out of here."

"Jasper, did you drive your own car?" Carlisle asked.

"One of the untraceable cars from the company," Jasper said. "I dropped my car off at the office."

Carlisle took the keys and he left with the company car. I guided Jasper to the car I'd arrived in with my dad. My best friend was staring off into space, his eyes haunted. I drove us to a company garage, dumping the car and using a car service to drive us back to the condo. We went to his place and I pushed him to the shower to clean up from the grisly demise of Alec. I sent a text to Bella.

 _I'm at the condo. I'll explain more when I get home. How's Alice? ~ E_

 _She's sore and pissed. Esme's taking care of her. She won't talk to me. Be safe. ILY ~ B_

 _I love you more, Bella ~ E_

"Sorry about going into zombie mode," Jasper said, tugging a t-shirt on. "I was just so fucking pissed."

"I don't blame you. If something like that happened to Bella? I don't know if I'd be able to restrain myself like you did," I snorted.

"Dude, I smacked the fucker with his own hand," Jasper muttered. "How is that restrained?"

"You didn't shoot him between the eyes upon sight," I shrugged.

"Oh, I wanted him to suffer," he shrugged. "The suffering didn't last nearly as long as I'd hoped." Jasper looked at me. "Do you mind if we stay with you and Bella? I know Alice is taking some time off from the hospital, even thinking about resigning her job." He frowned. "She doesn't feel safe there."

"I don't blame her," I said. "And you can stay as long as you want, Jas. You know that."

"Thank you, Boss," Jasper replied, giving me a timid grin. "Now, can we go up to Ali. I need to make sure she's okay. She was … she was terrified of being alone, of being hurt again."

"You got it," I nodded.

 **A/N: So, Alice was attacked by Alec, Stephan's illegitimate son. She got her own revenge, but Jasper finished what she started. Up next will be some aftermath of Alice's attack, her decisions about her job, Jimmy's rehabilitation and more planning of the wedding. Picture of Alec is on my blog. He's a mean mofo. Thank you for reading! Leave me some loving!**


	18. Chapter 18

**So, none of this is mine. I wrote the first chapter for a contest and now, I'm expanding it. What I own … a condo and too many books. What I don't … _Twilight_ and all its characters.**

 **So, Alice was attacked by Alec, Stephan's illegitimate son. She got her own revenge, but Jasper finished what she started. Up next will be some aftermath of Alice's attack, her decisions about her job, Jimmy's rehabilitation and more planning of the wedding.**

 **Chapter Eighteen**

 **BPOV**

"Alice, if you need anything, please don't hesitate to let me know," I said as I gave her some tea. Her face was bruised and she was moving stiffly.

"I just want to be alone, Bella," she said, her voice cold, angry.

"Okay," I whispered. I left the room, closing the door and leaning heavily against the wall. I could hear Esme speaking to Demetri, Jimmy and Felix in the kitchen. It was after nine at night and I hadn't heard from Edward in several hours. With a sigh, I went downstairs. "Do you guys want anything to eat? I need to do something."

"Don't worry, Miss Bella," Demetri said, his voice quiet and slightly accented. It sounded Russian.

"My fiancée is doing mobby things and I've got Alice upstairs who is afraid of her own shadow," I said. "Something happened. Either I can perseverate on what happened or I can bake something. Anyone want rum cake?"

"Bella, you are too funny," Esme snorted.

"I'm not kidding," I smirked as I went into our well-stocked pantry and pulled out what I needed. "Felix, in the bar near you, there's a bottle of Captain Morgan's Extra Dark Rum. Can you get that for me?"

"Sure, Miss Bella," he said. He handed me the bottle and I started working.

"I can also feed you guys something, other than sweets," I said. "I left over vodka sauce. I raided Nonni's recipe book to make dinner last night."

"With gnocchi?" Jimmy asked. I nodded. "Well, if you boys don't want any. I do."

"Jimmy, your ass is going to be the size of Wrigley Field," I quipped, making him a plate. Felix and Demetri also took some as well, along with some Italian sausage I'd baked. Esme made some salad for them and as I was putting the cake into the oven, Edward and Jasper came inside. "Is everything okay?"

Edward nodded tightly.

"Where's Alice?" Jasper asked.

"Guest room, second door on your left," I answered. Jasper smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. He shifted a bag in his hand and he jogged up the stairs.

"Can I go home now?" Esme asked. "I love spending time with my newest daughter, but …"

"Dad sent a text. You're staying here tonight. As are you guys," Edward said, looking at Felix and Demetri.

"What about me?" Jimmy questioned. "How am I supposed to get up the stairs?"

"We'll spend time on the couches, Uncle Jimmy. I'll stay with you," I answered. "It's a lot more comfortable than that shitty couch you have at your apartment. Dude, that thing is so ugly."

"Don't be hating on my couch, Isabella Marie," he groused. He made a face as he rolled his way to the bathroom. Edward followed at a discreet distance, but when Jimmy was safely ensconced in the powder room, my fiancé walked back to the kitchen.

"Why can't I go home?" Esme asked.

"Dad, Emmett and Jake are taking care of a cleanup job," Edward explained.

"And what happened?" I pressed.

"I'll tell both of you tomorrow. I promise, but we have to stay on the DL with Jimmy in the house. I love the guy, but he can't know what happened or what we did," Edward said, his voice hard and cold, sounding very much like the mob boss he'd become in a few short months.

"It's bad?" Esme sighed.

"As bad as it can get," Edward replied, scrubbing his face. His hair was damp and he wasn't wearing the clothes he had on this morning. "Now, Mom, I know you want to go home, but we need to keep you safe."

"I understand," she said, kissing his cheek. "I trust you. I trust your father and whatever you all believe is best for us as a family …"

The oven rang and I pulled out the cake, putting it onto the cooling rack. Jimmy rolled back into the kitchen. Edward smiled at him and darted upstairs to get some sheets, pillows and blankets for the couch. While the cake cooled, I made the glaze. Flipping the cake onto a cake plate, I drizzled the glaze over the top of cake. Felix and Demetri were licking their lips, staring at my creation. "You can have some tomorrow, boys. It tastes better when the glaze oozes into the cake, making it even more decadent."

"You're a tease, Miss Bella," Demetri pouted.

"I gave you vodka sauce, gnocchi and sausage. No bitching," I snickered. "Now, you guys can go up to the Fortress. Here's a key. There's a spare bedroom and the couch is a pull out." I tossed the key to Felix.

"Thank you, Miss Bella. And I can't wait to have a slice, or twenty, of your cake," Felix said, a crooked smile spreading over his face.

I rolled my eyes and showed him how to get up to the garage apartment. I looked over to the family room and I saw that Edward was setting up the bed for Jimmy. Helping him onto the couch, Edward made another bed on the huge overstuffed chair with the ottoman.

"I'm going upstairs. Any room in particular?" Esme asked.

"Yeah," I nodded. "If you need something to sleep in, you can raid my dresser. There's some sleep pants, tanks and nightgowns. The bathrooms have toothbrushes, toothpaste, fresh towels – thanks to Jimmy – and shower supplies, too."

"Thank you, sweetheart," Esme smiled, kissing my cheek and hugging me. "Love you."

"Love you, too, Esme," I smiled, returning her embrace. She went upstairs. I turned off the lights in the kitchen, leaving the panel light on over the stove as a nightlight. Edward and Jimmy were still talking. I gave them a few moments to chat. I darted upstairs, changing into some pajamas. As I was brushing my teeth, Esme asked for some sleep clothes. I gave her some sleep pants and t-shirt. With another hug, she went into the guest room closest to the master bedroom. Tossing my hair into a ponytail, I went downstairs and saw Edward on the overstuffed chair. Jimmy was already snoring. "Aren't you going to sleep in a bed?"

"After today, I need to hold you," Edward said, his smile sad and his eyes haunted.

"What happened to Alice? It was bad?" I whispered. He didn't answer out loud. He nodded and pulled me into his lap. "Like should I push her to talk bad?"

"You may want to counsel her, but be a friend first, Bella," he whispered back. "I love you so fucking much. I promise to tell you, but let me just hold you and know that you're alive and in my arms." We kissed innocently until Edward fell asleep. I was tucked under his chin and I listened to his steady breathing, inhaled his clean, masculine scent and allowed my body to drift. With a deep sigh, I relaxed further.

xx MOTM xx

I gasped awake. There was an ear-piercing shriek that was filling the house. Edward reached behind his back and he pulled out a gun, disabling the safety. There was another scream and incoherent yelling. Jimmy eyes were wide. "Put that down," I hissed at Edward.

"There could be someone in the house," he hissed back.

A loud thump made us all jump and I shot out of Edward's arms. I ran up the stairs. Esme was standing outside of Alice and Jasper's room. I straightened my shoulders and opened the door, finding Alice perched on Jasper, beating the crap out of him. Her eyes were closed and she was white as a sheet. Jasper was trying to reach her, but I recognized this.

She was locked in a flashback.

"Edward," I said calmly, calling on my schooling and my brief first aide training. "Does Alice have something in her bag? Ativan? Lorazepam?" My fiancé was in shock, watching Alice fall apart. I shook my head, walking to her black bag. I rooted around in it, finding a prescription for Ativan. Swiping a syringe, I filled a dose and prayed I would be able to calm her down. "Jasper, capture her hands and hold her to your body."

"But, she's …" Jasper cried.

"She's in a flashback," I said. Jasper caught her arms and sat up, hugging her. Alice was still wriggling, her cries breaking my heart. Using an alcohol wipe, I cleaned her arm and injected her with the medication. She wriggled for a little bit longer and collapsed in Jasper's arms. He picked her up and lay her on the bed.

"How did you know to do that?" Jasper asked.

"My time in the hospital," I answered, putting the cap on the syringe and throwing into the garbage. "When a patient was out of control, they'd use a sedative or benzo, like Ativan or Lorazepam to calm them down. I'm not a shrink. I'm only going off what my advisor did in the past. I hope I didn't give her too much." I sat down heavily on the chair and the adrenaline wore off. "What happened when she freaked out, Jasper?"

"I held her. Hugged her," Jasper cried, tears welling in his eyes. "She was starting to freak out, but I wanted to provide her comfort."

"In order to know how to help her, what happened?" I asked, arching a brow. "I know she was beaten up, but she's acting like a sexual assault victim with her freaking out with you holding her." Jasper paled. "Fuck … has she been tested? A rape kit?"

"She wasn't raped," Edward said, his voice unbearably sad. "She was forced to give oral sex to some asshole. She bit down on his dick, but …"

"Okay, okay," I said. "Was she restrained?" Edward nodded. "That's why she panicked and flew into a flashback, Jasper. You were, unknowingly, restraining her and she was back in that moment where she was forced to do something that she normally only shared with you. I'm going to stay with her. She needs to talk about this and I want to help her." I looked over at Jasper, giving him an understanding smile. "I know you want to help, too, but right now? Men are the enemy."

"Got it, Bella," Jasper said.

"Come on, Jas. Let's go work this out in the gym," Edward said, guiding Jasper out of the room.

I sat down, staring at my best friend and watching her as she rested. I yawned and watched as Esme came into the room with me. She put her arms around me as we shared the chair. "Alice is a strong woman, but she's going to need us, Esme. Her choice was taken away," I whispered.

"I'm proud of you, Bella," she said, kissing my temple.

"What I did was highly illegal," I snorted. "I'm not a shrink. I have no business administering benzos like that."

"But, you helped Alice," she argued, putting her arms around me. "Be proud of that."

"I'll try," I shrugged.

"How long will she be out?"

"Depending how her body reacts to the medication? A couple of hours," I shrugged.

"Okay. I'll set my alarm and we're going to get some sleep," Esme said, picking up her cell phone. She set the alarm and we fell asleep relatively quickly. The adrenaline rush waning helped a lot, but the tough part was just around the corner.

 **EPOV**

"I can't believe … it was me," Jasper said as he sparred with me in the workout area I'd created in the basement of my new house. "I caused Alice to fall into that flashback."

"Jas," I said, blocking a jab. "I know that you want to help Alice. I want to help her. By killing Alec, it's one less monster on the planet. She got her retribution, but she was hurt. Both physically and mentally. Her wounds will heal. Her black eyes and broken ribs will get better. But, Bella, she'll help Alice heal mentally."

"She was fucking awesome," Jasper said, dropping his hands. "You're one lucky fucker."

"I'm not going to argue about that," I snorted. "Jasper, if you need to take some time, to be with Alice, please, do it."

"It's all up to her," Jasper shrugged. "I think she's going to resign from the hospital. She mentioned it while we were driving to your place, but she wants to think about it. She doesn't feel safe, for _obvious_ reasons." He sat down heavily on one of the weight machines. "But, would she open up a private practice? Focus her attention on running the clinic for our family? We don't exactly pay her, Edward."

"That would change, if she decides to become our concierge doctor, Jasper," I said. "She'd get a salary from the company. Just like you do." I looked at him and his eyes were still haunted. "What else, Jasper?"

"I really hate Alec. What he did to Alice … it's disgusting," he spat. "Women are cherished. What the fuck, man? I mean, they should not be touched. Period. End of paragraph. Done!"

"I agree, Jasper. But, Stephan is following his own sadistic set of rules," I said, plopping down and scowling. "He may be my uncle, but we share nothing in our values."

"He's a fucking parasite," Jasper sneered. "And he must be partnered, definitely, with Royce."

"Agreed," I nodded. "It was only supposition and conjecture until now. But, what about Marcus Volturi? Do you think he's working with them?"

"I don't know. I know that he's more old-school than Royce and Stephan. He'd follow the rules of engagement," Jasper said. "Even with the long-time rivalry between your families, he'd never harm a woman or a child. For that, I have a strange level of respect for the man."

"As do I, but he's still an enemy," I shrugged.

"Have you heard from your dad? Emmett? Jacob?" Jasper asked.

"I saw Jacob's car in the driveway when I got us some water," I replied. "But, they'll probably want to discuss this in person. Emmett and Dad are probably in the city, probably heading off any fallout, if there is any. Jacob is as protective of Bella as I am and didn't want to leave her unattended."

"Are you sure it's protectiveness?" Jasper questioned, his brow arched.

"I'm certain," I replied. "He cares for like a sibling. When I asked him to be her protection, I specifically questioned him working with a woman. Would he develop feelings for her? Jacob said he's more attracted to me than to Bella. He smiled and waggled his brows."

"Wait, Jacob's gay?" Jasper squeaked.

"The word he described himself as was bisexual, but he was more attracted to men than women," I answered. "He's dated men. He's dated women. He just prefers men, but if he found the right woman, he'd date her. He did mention that Bella was awesome and that if I hadn't dated her, he would have made a move, but he respects me too much to do that."

"Heh," Jasper replied, his brows pulled together. "I never knew."

"None of us did. I wouldn't have known if I hadn't mentioned my concerns about him working with Bella," I shrugged. "But, keep it to yourself. I think that Jacob is … not sensitive … uh …"

"He hasn't come out," Jasper offered.

"That's probably it," I said, smirking crookedly. "I respect him. He's a good man and he adores my fiancée. He'd do anything for her. Even kick my ass." I looked at him. "You feeling better?"

"Yeah. Tired, though. It's just after five and we rolled in here about midnight," Jasper snorted. "I'm going to crash down here."

"I'm gonna head up to check on Jimmy. He was worried, but can't really do much since he's gimpy," I replied. "Jasper, everything will be okay. I promise you."

"I hope so," he said. "Thanks, Edward."

I smiled at him gently and went upstairs. Felix was helping Jimmy back onto the couch. "Everything okay?" I asked.

"I had to pee and I couldn't get my wheelchair," Jimmy said. "With everything that happened, things kind of imploded. Felix was coming down to get some water. He helped me to my chair."

"I'm sorry, Jimmy," I frowned. "I bet you'll be happy once you're able to walk again."

"Fuck, yes," he growled. "Thanks, Felix."

"No problem, man," he nodded. "See you in the morning, Boss." He went back into the garage apartment and I sat back down on the chair. I felt so guilty about leaving Jimmy alone.

"Edward, don't even worry about it. Please," Jimmy said, shimmying over to me and rubbing my forearm. I shot him a look. "You want to make it up to me? Get me a pain pill and some water."

"Okay," I nodded, getting up and swiping a pill. I grabbed a water bottle. He chugged it, along with the medication. "I'm still sorry."

"And I don't blame you," he retorted, laying down on the couch. "Alice … that sounded like she was in the middle of night terror."

"Yeah," I sighed.

"Bella had those things when Charlie was diagnosed. He was in the hospital and was staying with me. She'd wake up screaming, but wouldn't remember any of it," Jimmy said, his voice slurring. "They got better for a while, but came back after Charlie's death. I think it was her dealing with and working with the psychologist that made her choose her major. She's so empathetic toward people. Whatever is eating at Alice, Bella can help her."

"I have no doubt," I smiled. "Now, why don't we get some more sleep. That alarm was quite abrupt."

"And shrill," Jimmy quipped, chuckling quietly.

 **BPOV**

We slept longer than anticipated, but when Esme and I woke up around half past ten, we noticed that Alice was still asleep, snoring loudly. I faintly heard talking downstairs and recognized Jimmy's voice, along with Carlisle and Emmett. I checked on Alice, seeing that she would not be up for some time. She needed the rest. I wrote her a brief note, explaining where I was and that we were talking.

I went into the bathroom in my bedroom and took a long shower. Dressing comfortably in a pair of jeans and one of Edward's button-downs, I went downstairs and smiled at my future father-in-law and brother-in-law. "Everything okay?" I asked.

"It would be better if Edward would feed us," Emmett quipped.

"There was a reason why I had a cook, Emmett," Edward sighed, glowering at his brother. "And I'm certain that Bella wouldn't want you inhaling the cake she made."

"I need to put another coating of glaze," I said, waving my finger at Emmett. "But, I can make …" I looked in the fridge and pursed my lips, "French toast with bacon."

"You shouldn't have to cook for these hooligans," Edward said, his arms sliding around my waist.

"I'm okay. It'll give me something to focus on besides …" I trailed off. I handed the bacon to Edward. "Can you handle this without burning it?"

"Probably," he snorted. I kissed his cheek and he went to make the bacon.

While he did that, I made the batter and soaked some Italian bread in it. On the griddle, I made a stack of French toast. Esme cut up fresh fruit and made coffee. When breakfast was made, they all sat down and inhaled the food. Jimmy looked at me, pride in his eyes and I shrugged, munching on a strawberry. Edward made me a plate and he nuzzled my cheek. "Love you, _mia cara._ Eat, baby," he cooed. I leaned into his arms, enjoying my breakfast.

"Well, thank you for feeding us, Bella. You didn't have to," Carlisle said, smacking Emmett's arm. "This isn't a restaurant, Emmett."

"Bella cooks well enough; it could be!" Emmett laughed.

"We're going to go. Jimmy, I'm certain, you're anxious to get back for your physical therapy appointment," Carlisle quipped.

"Fuck, no," Jimmy grumbled.

"Too bad. Helga is already there," Carlisle snorted. "Felix let her in."

"When did they leave?" I asked.

"A little after seven," Edward murmured, his lips pressed to my temple.

"Before you go," I said, scrambling to the cake. I put a lid on it and placed the leftover glaze into a plastic container. "For the guys. And for you, too, but Demetri was looking at this cake like it was the second coming of Christ." I handed it to Esme. She hugged me, kissing my cheek.

Carlisle and Emmett helped Jimmy into the car. Esme asked me to call her, so I could tell her how Alice was doing, but I would treat her like a patient. She deserved confidentiality. If Alice was okay with me talking to Esme, I would, but until then, I'd just listen. When they left, I turned to Edward. "Where's Jasper?"

"He's hiding in the basement. He's very upset with himself," Edward replied.

"I'm going to talk to him," I murmured. "Can you keep an eye on Alice? Work in your office and see if you hear her wake up?"

"Got it, _cara,_ " he smiled, kissing my lips. "I love you so fucking much."

I patted his ass and went downstairs. Jasper was laying on the couch, his arm draped over his face. But, when I came down, his head popped up and he gave me a sad smile. "You okay, Jas?" I asked.

"Are you asking as my friend or as a therapist?" he snorted.

"Both," I answered. "Look, what happened last night was fucking scary."

"Did Alice tell you what happened?" Jasper asked.

"No, but I can imagine what did occur," I replied. "And you're not going to tell me, either. I want to hear it. From her. But, you can at least tell me if she was …"

"She wasn't raped, no," Jasper said. "It never got that far."

"Okay, good," I muttered, mainly to myself. "Jasper, I'm telling you this as a friend as someone who's studied psychology and knows the effects of PTSD. I lived it. Remember?" Jasper nodded, his brow furrowed. "Bruises on the outside, they heal quickly. Mental ones? They take longer. I don't know what happened to your wife, but I know that she's been hurt, physically and mentally. She no longer feels safe. Her bubble was invaded. Even with the protection, she was still hurt."

"She must hate me," Jasper growled.

"She doesn't hate you. She hates what happened to her," I clarified.

"Which was due, in part, to her relationship to me," Jasper snapped.

"You can play the blame game, but Jas, it's not your fault. It's not my fault. It's not Alice's fault. The monster who decided to hurt her; he's the one to blame. Now, from what I can gather, that monster is no longer in the picture, correct?" I asked. He nodded. "Then, you need to help her fight the ghost of his memory."

"I tried last night. You saw what happened," Jasper sniffled, his face twisted in frustration.

"Because, you were holding her down, like what _he did_. I'm not going to lie, Jasper. She might push you away. It will be a long time before you can be intimate with her. You need to shower her with your support, affection – in a way that she's comfortable receiving it – and love. There's no quick fix for PTSD. Can you do that?"

"Always, Bella. I love her. She's my _everything._ But, what happens if she has another night terror, like last night?" he asked. "You're not going to be there with some syringe of medication."

"Wake her up, but don't hold her back or hold her down. Then, tell her that you love her and you're there for her, no matter what," I said. "As she feels more comfortable, you'll be able to … she'll be able to share more with you."

"I know what happened to her," Jasper said, his brow furrowed.

"You saw it on a tape, right?" He nodded slowly. "Watching it on a video and experiencing it first hand? Two entirely different experiences, Jasper. Now, I'm going to talk to her, but I'm not a panacea. I'm technically not qualified to do this. I need the rest of my schooling, getting my masters and possibly my doctorate."

"You're probably better suited than me, schooling or not, Bella. You know how to handle it better than anyone I know," Jasper snorted.

"And Jas? You can talk to me, too," I said, squeezing his hand. "Either as a friend, or a therapist. What you say to me, will be between the two of us."

"Patient/doctor confidentiality?" he quipped.

"Sort of," I said, giving him a wink. "Now, I'm saying this as a friend. You fucking smell. Shower. Right now."

"Yes, ma'am," he laughed.

I kissed his cheek and went up to the guest room where Alice was resting. She was stirring and sat up with a gasp as I sat down on chair across from the bed. "Oh, my head," she moaned, sitting back onto the pillows. She saw me, scowling. "What did you give me?"

"Ativan," I answered. "You were in a night terror/flashback thing, Alice. You were pounding on your husband." Alice glared at me, her eyes swirling with betrayal and hate. "You're going to yell at me? Fine, yell at me. I have no business pushing meds because I'm not a shrink, but you were inconsolable, Alice. You were hurting Jasper and hurting yourself, too. How are your ribs?"

"They suck," she whispered, grimacing in pain. She blew out a breath. "Do you have some clothes I can wear? And some bleach for my mouth?"

"Clothes, yes. Bleach? No," I snorted. "I can give you a toothbrush, toothpaste and mouthwash."

"Beggars can't be choosers," she sighed.

"Let me get you some clothes. There are towels inside of the bathroom," I said. I grabbed some loose, but comfortable clothes, leaving them in the bathroom. When Alice was finished, she called me in there and handed me a large ace bandage. She asked me to wrap her ribs for some extra support. Covering her breasts, I wrapped her carefully and she put on the long-sleeved Henley I left for her, along with some plaid pajama pants. "Feel better?"

"I feel human," she said, her voice raw. "I should report you for what you did last night …"

"But, you're not going to," I said, arching a brow. "Alice, you were … it was fucking scary last night."

"It was fucking scary yesterday morning," she spat. "Some monster decided to beat the shit out of me, but he couldn't stop at that. He forced me to put my mouth on him. I taught him, though. I bit down. Hard."

"Good girl," I laughed. "Was it still attached? Did it taste like a hot dog?"

"Ewww, gross," Alice snorted, a wry grin spreading over her face. "It was still attached, but it was bloody as fuck. And no, it didn't taste like a hot dog. It tasted like ass. I couldn't even begin to tell you when the last time the dude showered. He was rank. I bit down because I was going to wretch all over his miniscule dick."

I shuddered, feeling for her. "Do you remember your dream?" I asked, sitting back and crossing my legs. "The one from last night?"

She didn't answer right away. She toyed with the bedspread and picked up a pillow, her eyes watering. "He didn't stop," she choked out. "In real life, he did. I ended it, but he overpowered me in my dream. It broke me. Broke Jasper and we …" She let out a sob. "We broke up."

I got up off the chair I was sitting in, walking over to Alice. I pulled her into my arms and held her, giving her room to breathe. "Jasper loves you. He loves you so much, Ali."

"I love him, too, but when I think about being with him … I'll imagine that monster," she spat. "And let's just say that blowjobs are off the table. For a long time. If ever …"

"Do you think that Jasper is expecting you to jump back into bed with him?" I asked. She shrugged. "I spoke to him this morning." She glared at me, but calmed when I hugged her. "I don't know what happened and you can tell me in your own time. But, he told me that you were sexually assaulted. He saw the security tapes." I crouched down and held her hands. "Alice, you're like the sister I always wanted. I'm so sorry that this happened to you. It will take time before you feel safe, protected. I love you and I want to help you."

"I just feel weird talking to you about this," she said, her nose wrinkled, but she whimpered. "Ouch … I shouldn't do that. A broken nose and wrinkling said nose … not a good combo."

I chuckled, but sobered quickly. "Would you rather talk to some random schmoe? Someone who doesn't understand our family? What we do?" I asked. She shook her head. "I'm younger than you. I'm not a doctor …"

"You reacted faster than any doctor I know," she said. I was confused. How did she know that? "I was vaguely aware of what was happening." She squeezed my hands. "I'll talk to you. But, I need to understand, I need to know … is that monster gone?"

"I can't answer that. Only Edward and Jasper can," I replied, hugging her gently.

"Well, let me eat. I smell breakfast food, even through my broken schnoz," she quipped. "And then, I want Edward and Jasper to show me proof that the monster is in hell, where he belongs."

 **EPOV**

Bella and Alice ate breakfast. She made a fresh batch of French toast for the two of them. Bella was treating her normally, which I was surprised to see. They were talking about our wedding and how much Alice loved the house. When they were done, Bella did the dishes and led Alice down to the basement, where Jasper was staying, giving Alice her space. I followed, sitting down. Jasper was watching television and he perked up when he saw Alice. She sat next to him, hugging him quickly before taking his hand.

It wasn't like normal. There was a stiffness in her movements. More so than from her injuries. It was her struggle to accept his affection without reprisals. Bella sat next to me, her fingers threading with mine. I kissed her temple. "Alice, do you want to talk or would rather me?"

"I'll talk," she said, curling up on the couch. "What happened to that animal?"

"He's gone, Ali-cat," Jasper said. "I used that syringe you concocted for me and I ended him."

"What did you do?" she asked, looking at her husband.

"Jake lured him into the van and we brought him to one of our apartments," I said. "We had some fun, beating the shit out of him. Interrogating him, too."

"Who was he? I didn't recognize him?" Alice asked me.

"Alec Romani," I replied. "Stephan's illegitimate son."

"He didn't look like Stephan," Alice said.

"His fraternal twin sister has Stephan's looks and coloring," I said. "Alec looks like a thug."

"He was a thug who had a serious hygiene problem," Alice grumbled.

"That explained the smell that refuses to leave my nose," I snickered. Alice nodded, her lips twisted and her body shuddering. "But, he's finished, Alice."

"I want to see proof," she said, her chin jutting out.

"Have you sent the pictures to Stephan?" Jasper asked me.

"Emmett was in charge of that, using an untraceable IP address," I answered. "Alice, you have to understand. We can't have those pictures floating around on our servers. We've never been caught. But, I can assure you. He's dead. Jasper slapped Alec with his own hands."

"Excuse me?" Alice and Bella squeaked.

"I chopped off his hands and used them to smack him stupid," Jasper snorted. "And when I cut off his balls, I nicked his femoral artery. He bled out. Oops …"

"But, he's dead," Alice whispered.

"He can never hurt you again, Ali-cat," Jasper said, picking her up and holding her on his lap. She snuggled into his arms, burying her nose into his neck. He held her. I took Bella's hand and we left them downstairs.

"You took pictures of this guy? Alec?" Bella asked, sliding up to the counter.

"We need to send Stephan a message. Alec said that Stephan was involved, but that he wasn't the one making the shots," I answered, stepping between her legs. "He wouldn't say who. Even when we were …"

"I don't want to know," Bella said, her mouth turned into a frown. "I love you, Edward, but I hate that you …"

"I know, baby," I said. "But, in retrospect, what would you do with this guy? Let the court system get him? He'd get maybe seven years, ten at most. He defiled one of our own, Bella. If you were the victim, I'd do the same, if not more."

Bella bit her lip, not saying anything. She stared at me, her eyes appraising me. "You're right. You're right, Edward. Ten years behind bars, being on the registry or swimming with the fishes?"

"Really, Isabella," I deadpanned.

"What? I've been waiting to say that, Mobward," she snickered, hugging me. "I'm just biding my time until I say something about cement shoes."

"What am I going to do with you?" I sighed, kissing her neck.

"Love me?"

"Always, _mia cara._ Always."

 **A/N: So, we found out more about Alice's attack. It will be some time before Alice will be okay, but she's going to be. Next chapter, we're going to have Bella's fitting for her dress, choosing flowers with Jimmy and Esme, and some reprisals from Stephan. Pictures of Alec and Jane are on my blog. You can find the link for that on my profile. I'm also on Facebook: Tufano79's Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation. Twitter, too: tufano79.**

 **Leave me some!**


	19. Chapter 19

**So, none of this is mine. I wrote the first chapter for a contest and now, I'm expanding it. What I own … a condo and too many books. What I don't … _Twilight_ and all its characters.**

 **Before I post the update ... a PSA ... I hate to say this, but I think with the return to school, my writing time has become sorely limited. I was hoping to keep up the weekly update schedule for #MOTM, but I can't. So, with that, updates will come EVERY OTHER week. Next week, it will be a teaser, with the update coming the following week. I'm truly sorry, but life, RL life is kicking my ass.**

 **Next chapter, we're going to have Bella's fitting for her dress, choosing flowers with Jimmy and Esme, and some reprisals from Stephan.**

 **Chapter Nineteen**

 **BPOV**

"Bella, this dress is absolutely gorgeous," Jimmy crooned. He was out of the wheelchair and using crutches. Though, he had to sit for long periods of time, he was moving around easier. Esme wouldn't let him leave the house. Something about his apartment being condemned or something. "Your father would be so proud of you."

"And we're adding crystals along the neckline and along these folds near the thigh," Lauren said. "It's very subtle, but high-end with the quality of crystals. Oh, and just above the bustle, too." She turned me around, pointing to where the crystals would be just below my ass.

"Lauren, this has got to be one of the most gorgeous dresses I'd ever seen," Esme beamed. "Simple, elegant, but sexy, too."

"It helps that I've got a gorgeous bride," Lauren quipped. "I'm also working on the bridesmaid dresses, too. They'll be a similar shape, but in a deep crimson with crystal sashes. How many bridesmaids are you having?"

"You, Alice, Leah and Emily, my uncle's nurse, but she's become a close friend" I said.

"You're having Leah as a bridesmaid?" Jimmy asked.

"I spoke to Sue the other day while you were doing your physical therapy. I also FaceTimed with Leah, asking her. She was confused, but when I explained she'd be wearing a princess dress, she was all for it," I snickered. Lauren was confused. "Leah has a developmental delay. She's a sweet, sweet girl, but she has the mental capacity of a child. With her dress, if you could make the skirt fuller? Not as form-fitted and some straps, too?"

"Definitely. I'll make Leah a princess dress," Lauren smiled. "She's Seth's sister?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "How did you know?"

"When I designed the dress for Emmett's ex-wife, Seth came with her. We chatted about our siblings. I have a younger brother who is autistic, named Riley. He will always be with my family, or with me. He struggles. On top of the autism, he's a savant and very OCD. I love my brother and always will, but he needs constant supervision and care," Lauren said. "One of his triggers is touch. He can't wear anything rough or he goes into a complete melt-down. If I can get Sue's phone number so I can talk to her about Leah's dress?"

I shot a look to Esme, who subtly shaking her head. "We'll have her call you or we'll make arrangements for a phone call," I said.

"Gotcha," Lauren smirked. She was aware, to an extent, about the Cullen connections, but she was trustworthy. I also know that Emmett was talking to her, flirting a bit with her and they'd gone out for coffee and lunch a couple of times. Who knows if something comes of it, but from the blush on Lauren's face and Emmett's goofy smile, things were looking up. "Now, have you thought about a veil?"

"For the church, we need to have a cathedral length veil," Esme said. "Very traditional." I wrinkled my nose. "Sorry, Bella."

"It's okay. I know that things are very traditional in the Catholic church, but as long as I can take it off for the reception," I said.

"Oh, definitely. How can you dance with a cathedral length veil?" Esme laughed.

"Good point," I snickered.

"I have something that, if possible, to incorporate this comb. It belonged to my mother, your grandmother," Jimmy said. "She passed away just after you were born, Bella. Charlie had this and I kept it hidden, away from your mother's grubby, greedy hands." He reached into a bag by his feet. He picked up a velvet box and handed it to me. I sat down next to him. "It was a gift from her husband's family, who was quite well-off. She left it to Charlie, to give to you."

"How old was I when my grandmother died?" I asked.

"Two or three?" he whispered. "She adored you. But, she knew that you were Charlie's world. Now? You're Edward's world." Jimmy opened the box and inside was an elegant hair comb. "I had it cleaned when Edward asked for your hand, keeping it in the safety deposit box until today. We stopped at the bank on our way here."

"Oh, Uncle Jimmy," I breathed. "This is so beautiful. And this was a gift from grandma's family to her on their wedding day?" He nodded. "Wow!"

"Come here, Bella," Lauren sang. "We'll work some magic." She helped me to my feet and pulled me into the dressing room. Working with her assistant, she pinned my hair up, using the comb. Then, she put on a veil with some lace scalloping the edges. She also put on some earrings, in a similar shape as the comb and bracelet on my wrist. She handed me a red bouquet. "What do you think?"

"I like it. I can't wait to see it all together with the crystals, and the bridesmaid dresses," I breathed. Lauren beamed, hugging me and helping me back out. Esme started crying, as did Uncle Jimmy. My hand flew to my mouth as tears fell onto my cheeks. Uncle Jimmy got up and hobbled to me, hugging me tightly. "Uncle Jimmy …"

"Your father is smiling down on you, sweet girl," he cried, cupping my cheek. "I love you, Bella. I'm so proud you and the woman you've become."

"I'm so thankful to have you in my life, but I wish he was here," I sniffled. "I miss him."

He smiled sadly, hugging me as best he could with his crutches and the dress being held together with pins and a prayer. He shifted, moaning quietly. "Go sit down, Uncle Jimmy. I don't want you to hurt yourself," I chided, standing up and wiping my cheeks. "You need to do your best Fred Astaire impression for the daddy/daughter dance. You can't do that if you're still rocking crutches, old man."

"Who are you calling old?" he quipped, making his way back to the couches. "I'm still young and spry."

"You keep telling yourself that," I snickered. "I love you, Jimmy."

"Love you, too, Bells. And your father, he would have been a sobbing mess," he said, smiling wistfully. "And I'm a far better dancer than him, too."

"Regardless, you both have such a special relationship. I'm so honored to welcome you both into my family," Esme breathed. "Now, we're on a timeline, unfortunately. Did you get the measurements you needed, Lauren?"

"Yep. This should be done by August," she smirked. "Emily already made an appointment for her dress fitting. Bree's measured me and I'll get in touch or have Leah's mom get in touch with me. Oh, and what about Alice? She was supposed to come today?"

"Alice had an accident," I said. "She's at home, recuperating. I don't know when she'll come in, but if you give me a list of measurements you need, I can get them for you." Lauren arched a brow. "I know it's unorthodox, but Alice is really struggling with leaving the house because of what happened to her." She nodded, asking for a form from Bree. I handed it to Esme, who tucked it into her bag. "Thank you."

I got out of the dress and put back on my maxi skirt, along with a tight t-shirt. I hugged Lauren and she said to call her for lunch. I nodded and we left for a brief lunch at some expensive, but nearby restaurant. Jimmy groused that the food was dry and overpriced. Esme agreed, complaining to the waiter. We had the chef come out, talk to us and we got our meal for free. Esme was quite scathing and had the chef quaking in his safety shoes.

After lunch, we drove to some upscale florist and met with Laurent, the owner. I knew nothing about flowers except that I killed them. Esme and Jimmy talked to Laurent, choosing rich, lush flowers for the wedding. For the most part, the floral plan was going to be all red, all shades of red, with touches of gold and crystals. Laurent described a beautiful plan and I beamed, happy to get this done. When all was said and done, we finished with Laurent. Jimmy put down a deposit for the $25,000 worth of flowers we were getting for the wedding. Nothing but the best for my niece, he said proudly, slamming down his credit card.

Jake and Demetri drove us back up north. I was the reason we had to cut things short. I had an appointment with Alice after she went to meet with her bosses at the hospital, tendering her resignation. Granted, that was taking a lot out of her. I wasn't lying when I said getting her to leave the house was a struggle. So, I promised to be back at my house when she returned. They'd been staying with us for the past two weeks. Alice had night terrors any time she fell asleep. Jasper calmed her down the best he could, but there were a few times where I had to sedate her.

I hated to do that.

Plus, it was still highly illegal.

 _Eh, it's par for the course. Your future husband sells guns and private armies. All that shit is illegal, too. Why not deal in controlled substances, too?_

God, I need a hobby.

 **EPOV**

"Jasper, you should be with Alice," I chided.

"She's in a therapy session with Bella," Jasper replied. "She all but kicked me out of our room and forced me to go to work tonight, Boss."

"Yeah, like going over inventory is so much fun," I deadpanned.

"It's been months since we've had a shipment this big, Boss," Jasper shrugged. "It's just begging for Stephan to fuck with it. You know?"

"This is true," I shrugged, leaning against the desk in the warehouse where the three truckloads of guns, rifles ammunition and explosives were being delivered. We had a large crew waiting to be put to work, but the shipment was running late. There was an accident on the Skyway, delaying the trucks. We'd been monitoring its progress with the GPS tracker that was placed in the crates in each of the trucks.

"Hey, Boss," called one of my more loyal men, a guy named TJ. "I was checking the computer and the trucks are being rerouted through some of Stephan's turf."

"How?" I asked. "Once they got off the highway, it was a clear shot to the warehouse." I looked at his laptop, watching as the trucks were moving away from us. "God damn it! He's stealing our fucking guns. GUYS! Lock and load!"

We all clambered into cars and drove toward where the trucks were now _parked._ I spoke with Emmett, Seth, and Jasper, coming up with a plan to steal back our shipment. We left our cars down the street and approached the warehouse. Seth clambered onto a nearby building and set up a long-range rifle. We put in ear pieces, to communicate with each other. I pulled out my Desert Eagle, waiting for Seth to get into position. "Boss," he whispered. "The warehouse is swarming with Stephan's guys. The drivers are being held inside, at gunpoint."

"Fuck," I spat. "Are they unloading the shipment?"

"Yeah, about twenty men removing our guns and shit, Boss," Seth sneered. "But, they're all still crated."

"How do we want to run this?" Emmett asked, his brow arched. I sighed, taking out my silencer and looked at the warehouse. "Ed?"

"If anything, we need to get those drivers out of there unharmed," I said. "Is everyone armed? Covered in Kevlar?" I heard numerous grunts, affirming their protection. "Go in hot, but go in smart. Once bullets start flying, it'll be a blood bath. Protect those drivers."

I tugged on a hat, covering my hair and led my men into the courtyard of the warehouse. Jasper and Emmett, along with some of my guys, quickly ended several men, by breaking their necks. I made my way with TJ and a couple of the bigger guys to the warehouse. As we were nearing the doorway, a young kid ran right into me. He reached for his gun. Before he could, I shot him and he fell to his death. He was too young, but I didn't have time to worry about that. Emmett was by my side, his face blank and his eyes swirling. Using hand signals, I sent him and Jasper to the far side of the warehouse while I slipped in with the other guys. The men who were unloading our shipment were all dead, either killed by guns or by hand-to-hand combat.

Sneaking into the warehouse, I saw the three drivers. Two were younger, but the third, older man, looked like he was about to keel over. A guy from Stephan's organization, one of his higher-ranking officers, Walter, was conducting the interrogation. I heard the pops of gun fire. Walter looked up, his eyes narrowing toward where I was hiding. "Cullen? Is that you?" he sneered.

I didn't respond, not wanting to reveal my location. I skirted the edge of the wall and made my way closer to Walter and the innocent bystanders. I heard the cock of a gun. "Cullen, Stephan said you'd try to steal your shipment back. You're so fucking predictable. It's payment for the death of his son, asshole," Walter laughed. "Though, you really worked Alec over. That asshole deserved it. He was sloppy. But, he should have fucked that little doctor."

"He's a dead man," Jasper hissed through my earpiece.

"Stand down, Jas," I spat back. "Walter isn't going to survive this. Trust me. You go in guns blazing? Those drivers will die, too."

"Well, I know that Stephan wants your fiancée. His wife is a frigid, worthless bitch. But, your young, fuck-hot fiancée? She's a tight piece of ass. I bet her pussy …" Walter sang. I stood up, aiming at his head and it exploded after I shot off a round.

"Her pussy is mine," I growled, walking over to Walter's now dead body. There was a clean gunshot between the eyes, but the back of his head was burst open like an overly ripe fruit. More of Stephan's men came out of the woodwork, but they ran away, unsure what to do without the leadership of Walter. We managed to catch them all, putting them out of their misery. While my men were doing that, I blinked to the truck drivers. "Are you okay?"

"We want to get the fuck out of here," said the youngest one. "One second we're heading toward the address we were given, but we were diverted here. We're dragged out of our cabs and fuck …"

"And Harold doesn't look too good," said the middle guy, gesturing to the older man.

I walked over to Harold while TJ and Emmett released the first two drivers. Harold's face was ashen and he was sweating profusely. I checked his pulse, shocked at how fast it was going.

"This isn't worth the $100K we're getting paid," the first driver groused. "We could have died. Fucking bullshit!"

"You can't say anything," Emmett sneered. He pulled out his wallet and handed the driver all his cash, which was about ten thousand dollars. "You say something, you will end up like Walter here. You signed an NDA when you were hired. It's still in effect. Take the cash and leave. I will find out if you breathe one fucking word to anyone." The driver glowered at him, taking the money and stomping away. The other driver held out his hand, waiting for his payout. I tossed Emmett my wallet and he paid him the same amount. "And it's customary to thank someone for saving your god damned life, assholes!" They both scoffed, leaving the warehouse.

"They're not worth it. TJ, get some of your guys to get those trucks loaded up and driven to the original warehouse. We've got less time to unload and inventory," I said. "Emmett, call a cleanup crew."

"What about this guy?" Jasper asked, his anger barely contained at what had gone down as he stared at Harold.

"We need to get him to the hospital," I answered. "But, fuck, Alice doesn't work there anymore."

"Yeah, she quit as of six hours ago," Jasper said. "Do you think he'll say anything?"

"I don't know if he'll survive if we don't do something," I grumbled. "I think he's having a heart attack." Harold grabbed my arms, his eyes widening and he gasped. He fell out of the chair in a heavy thud and his eyes were staring blankly up at the ceiling. "No … NO! NO! NO!" I pressed my fingers to his neck and there was no pulse. "God DAMN IT!"

"Edward," Emmett grunted, pulling me back. "It's probably for the best. I know you wanted to save them all."

"Fucking Stephan," I sneered. "He did this." I stood up, making the sign of the cross and saying a prayer for Harold. "Make sure the crew is careful with this guy. He was a casualty." I closed his eyes and stepped away. I looked at Walter's corpse. With a grunt, I kicked him in the stomach. "Fucker."

"Beat up on a dead guy?" Emmett chuckled.

"I can't exactly go beat up Stephan," I hissed, pinching my nose. I looked down at my watch. "We've got to go. We only have a few hours before the sun comes up. This delay was not …" I tugged out my gun, cocking it, aiming it at Walter's body, but counting to ten. I put it back, after reengaging the safeties, stalking wordlessly back to the car. Emmett was next to me and he was quiet. "What, Em?"

"You're usually cool as a cucumber, but you're … you're letting your anger rule you," Emmett said.

"It's not anger, but frustration. Hatred," I said. "Stephan is breaking all the rules. You do not involve innocents in our line of work. Our way of living is very insular and he's pulling in more people. He's threatening our women. He's …" I blew out a breath and started the car. "He's not going to survive this, Em. You saw what they did to Alice and repercussions she's facing."

"Alice is the strongest chick I know and right now, she's afraid of her own shadow," Emmett said.

"Stephan and his partner did that," I sneered, driving away. "Did you call a cleanup crew?"

"Seth is staying behind with a handful of guys, but yes. He did," Emmett explained. He pulled out a burn phone, seeing a text. "Garrett is coming with the crew. The mess should be gone by morning."

"Make sure that it's done, Emmett. I don't want a sloppy crew and have all of this come back to us. I do not want to spend the rest of my life in a jail cell," I sighed.

"We're so far removed, man," Emmett said.

"Did you not see me shoot Walter between the eyes?" I snorted. "That's about as close as you get!"

"No, on paper, we're clean. The weapons we own are registered to fake names. Even if they find one piece of forensic evidence, it will lead them on a wild goose chase," Emmett chuckled. "Seriously, though. You're never this rattled."

"The attack on Alice got to me. I see what Jasper is going through and how much Alice is scared," I whispered. "What if it happens to Bella? Alice was protected. She could take care of herself, but she was still attacked and was sexually assaulted. If that happened to Bella, she may just give me the finger and tell me to go fuck myself."

"You don't give her enough credit, bro. Who did she call after she was attacked last fall?" he asked. "You, you idiot."

"I know, but that was different. I don't know," I shrugged. "I'm proud of what we do, but seeing people I know and love get hurt? It's putting things in perspective for me. I don't want to lose anyone. Not you, not Jasper and most definitely, not Bella. She's …" I gulped, imagining her smiling face and her eyes, swirling with love for me. "Have you ever considered giving this up?"

"All the time. I'm not as hard core as you, Edward," Emmett shrugged. "You were groomed to be the leader of the family. You can be charming, suave, but in a heartbeat, kill someone with your bare hands. You have a cunning, ruthless mind, which is helpful in our legitimate business, but makes you a better leader. You led a successful raid against Stephan, not even batting an eye, getting our shipment back. Could I be the leader? Fuck no. I have a head for business, real estate, not for what we do. What I lack in criminal savviness, I make up for with brute strength."

"Hmmmm," I nodded.

"Are you thinking of pulling out?" Emmett asked.

"No, but when I see Bella interact with Alice and trying to assuage her fears, I hate what we are," I shrugged. "It's at that moment that I want to walk away." I pulled into the warehouse and slid out of the car. "I guess I'm going through an identity crisis. I love the power I have, what we do and how we handle it. But, I hate the pain it's causing our family."

"Whatever happens, I'll support you, Edward," Emmett smiled, giving me a brief hug. "Now, I know you have to work in the morning. Let's get this shit inventoried and out on the streets."

"It's a good thing I don't need a lot of sleep," I deadpanned.

 **BPOV**

"What do you think about putting a large sectional in the family room?" Esme asked Alice.

She just shrugged. We were at their new home, just a few seconds away from where Edward and I lived. It had been a month since Alice's attack and two weeks since she put in her resignation at the hospital. Her bruises were gone, but we were still working on her emotional baggage. But, she finally felt confident to move into her house. She was adamant, however, on decorating it herself, but she was not into anything that Esme was suggesting.

"Alice, sweetie, you need to actually make decisions if you want to have furniture in the house," I said, sitting on the kitchen counter. "And don't forget, we're stocking your new clinic in the basement to be a concierge doctor for the family."

"I already have that figured out. Once I resigned, I put in my paperwork to be a private physician and I was able to get what I needed," she shrugged. "It'll be delivered in a week or so."

"Well, that's all well and good, but you need to have a place to sleep, Alice," Esme chided. "And shit for your kitchen. Bella is not going to be your private cook for the rest of your life."

"Damn, really?" Alice deadpanned, giving me a wry look.

"I know you love my cooking. Your ass has grown since you've taken a liking to my eggplant parmesan and fettuccini alfredo," I snorted. Alice flipped me off and I snickered. "Seriously, though, decorating your new house should be fun. I hate this shit and I had an amazing time picking out stuff with Emmett when he moved into his new place and again when I moved into my new house."

"But, it means I have to go," Alice said, her eyes panicking. "I'll have to leave the safety of …"

"Alice, look at me," I said, hopping down and forcing her to stare into my eyes. "Deep breaths, sweetie." We breathed deeply and she calmed down. "I know you're afraid, but you can't stay here forever."

"I know. I just want …" she whispered.

"What?" I pressed.

"I want Jasper to come with us when we get new furniture. I know it's irrational for me to be glued to his side, but …" she shrugged.

"I'll make you a deal. We'll get Jasper to come with us for the furniture shopping, but when I go for another dress fitting, you're coming with me and Jacob to get measured," I said.

"Can I bring a gun?"

"Yes, Alice, you can be armed," I snickered, hugging her tightly. She clung to me, her body still trembling. "You're okay. Alec is gone. Say it, Ali."

"Alec is gone," she whispered. "He's gone. Never coming back. He can't hurt me." She took a breath and stepped back. "Thanks, Bells. I'm not going to be on medications, damn it. Yes, the night terrors are awful as are the flashbacks, but I want to get past this without the help of psychotropic drugs. The initial dose of Ativan withstanding."

"You're able to do this, Alice," I smiled. "Now, in order to make sure we have an idea of what we want at the furniture store, let's make a list. Less time for you to be out, hmmm?"

"Fucking brilliant," Alice smirked. "Esme?"

We spent an hour and a half, creating a shopping list of what we wanted. We also decided on what colors to paint the walls. Esme called her contractor friend to come in and begin the work while we walked back to my house to wait for Edward and Jasper to come back from the city. To keep things a little more controlled, I contacted a nearby furniture store and asked what time they closed. I spoke to the manager, explaining the situation with Alice's fears and he said he'd stay open for as long it takes for her to make a decision. Plus, the promise of a hefty commission made him more amenable to staying open later.

As we were walking into the house, Edward and Jasper were pulling up to the house. Esme called Carlisle and he came over. I kissed my fiancé, throwing in some pizzas into oven while Alice talked to Jasper about her plans for the house. He smiled sweetly, listening intently as Alice described her vision. He said that he was going to let her take control of the design since everything else in her life was so out of control. Edward changed into some jeans and helped me make a salad. He was caging me with his arms as we cut the vegetables. "You know this is easier without a growth on my back," I teased, pushing my ass into his crotch.

"Don't tempt me, Isabella," he said, nipping at my ear. "I'm tempting to put you on the counter and feast on you. It's been far too long."

"With our guests and the possibility of being _interrupted_ , it didn't seem right," I pouted, agreeing with him. He smiled against my neck, his arms around my waist as I tossed the food into the bowl. "But, we'll have a date for their departure, hopefully, today. Once their furniture is delivered, we'll have the house to ourselves."

"And Jake," he said, his lips moving to my ear. "But, he likes his Fortress of Protection."

"Hmmmm," I purred. "You're making me wet, Edward. And I can't do anything about it."

"Sorry, _dolce,_ " he snickered. "I promise to make it up to you, once we have the house to ourselves. I want to fucking christen every flat surface."

"Oooooh, yes please," I giggled. He turned my head and his eyes were soft, but swirling with need. "I love you, Mobward."

He sighed, kissing me tenderly. "I love you, too, you pain in my ass," he quipped. I smacked his arm and handed him the salad bowl. He brushed his lips along my temple while he put the salad on the table. I pulled out the pizzas, cutting them and calling everyone to dinner. After that, we did the dishes and drove to the furniture store. Jake was following us. Seth was already there and Felix was stationed inside. While we were working on finding Alice furniture, Emmett was working with Garrett and Demetri on ways to bring down Stephan and Royce.

It took us almost three hours to find everything for the house for Alice and Jasper. Some of the furniture could be delivered by the end of the week – like their bedroom set and living room furniture. The rest had to be ordered and would be delivered by Memorial Day, which was a couple of weeks away. However, it was decided that they would move out once the bedroom set was delivered. Jasper was planning on taking some time to help his wife acclimate to the new house and be there for any subsequent deliveries. Edward agreed to the time off and said he was going to telecommute for his legitimate business pursuits and delegate for the illegal ones.

We finished at the furniture store and went back to the house. Alice crashed in the car, emotionally exhausted from the day. Jasper carried her to bed while Edward and I curled up on the family room sofa, watching the last part of the Cub's game. Jasper came down, falling onto the couch heavily. "You okay, Jas?" Edward asked.

"Yeah. Alice had a minor freak out when I put her on the bed. Then, she started crying hysterically because she feels like she's hurting me. I calmed her down, swearing to her that I love her and I take my wedding vows seriously," Jasper grumbled. "I get what's going on. She's getting better, but shouldn't she have some more help?"

"She doesn't want to take medications, Jasper. Like I told you, emotional and mental wounds take longer to heal. Her physical wounds are gone, but she's fighting a battle in her mind," I said. "I'm taking her out next week to get measured for her bridesmaid dress. Jake will be with us."

"And you're carrying," both Edward and Jasper growled.

"And I'll be carrying a concealed weapon," I snorted. "If she has a breakdown, I'll encourage her to speak to a psychiatrist. I can only help her so much. I'm pulling on my schooling and research online, but it's difficult to fight the battle with PTSD. But, she could be battling depression along with the PTSD, which was exacerbated by the attack."

"Who could she talk to?" Edward asked. "It's not like she can say what she does …"

"I've already done some research," Jasper said. "There's a shrink on staff at Chicago Med. He knew Alice and her connection our organization. Dr. Charles is top-notch and willing to play ball. I spoke to him briefly after my conversation with Bella, a couple of days after Alice's attack."

"Vet him," Edward commanded. "Make sure he doesn't have any ties to Stephan, Royce or Marcus. We don't want him to spill Alice's secrets to those assholes."

"Got it, Boss," Jasper nodded, kicking his feet up and watching the game with us.

I was leaning against Edward, his arm draped over my body. I was idly scratching my fingers along his forearm while he twirled my hair, his lips attached to my temple. I know I should go up to check on Alice, but I missed being with Edward. I missed snuggling next to him. Yes, it was selfish of me, but Alice wouldn't have twenty-four access to me once she moved out. However, when the game went into extra innings, I left the guys and checked on Alice. Knocking on her door, I leaned casually against the jamb. "You okay?" I asked.

"Just journaling," she said. Her face was washed clean of any makeup and she looked so tired. "Thank you for your help today, Bells."

"Not a problem," I smiled. "Do you think you'll be ready to go get measured next week? I'm texting Lauren tomorrow."

"I am going to be okay," she said, her chin jutting out stubbornly. "But, whenever you want to go."

"Got it, girl," I said, walking over to her and hugging her gently. "And afterward, we'll go out for lunch. My treat."

"No, my treat. You've been babysitting my ass," she said, a smile spreading over her face. "I probably wouldn't be this far along without you, Bella." I nodded and went into my bedroom, changing for bed and crashing almost immediately.

The next day, I texted Lauren and made arrangements to come down early the following week to try on my dress again and have Alice get measured for her dress. The rest of the week went by quickly and before I knew it, Alice and Jasper were in their home. They were settled by the end of the weekend and by Tuesday, Alice and I were in the back of the bullet-proof SUV, on our way to Lauren's bridal salon. Jacob was driving us with Seth nearby at Edward and Jasper's insistence.

If they could, both of them would be with us, but I said that Alice couldn't rely on them to get over her fears. Plus, Edward could _not_ see my wedding dress. Not yet. He'd see it on our wedding day, like any other groom.

"I'm excited to see your dress, Bella," Alice said. "I vaguely remember you trying it on. Shortly after we chose it, we got the phone call about Jimmy. Which, he's doing well, too."

"He's anxious to get that cast off his other leg," I laughed.

"I'll probably check it by the end of the week. I want to make sure the incisions are not infected," she said. "But, if everything is all clear, he should be able to start physical therapy on that leg. Oh, and you're due for your birth control shot in a couple of weeks."

"Oh, goody," I deadpanned. "I so love needles."

"You shot me like a pro," Alice chuckled. I made a face. "You could probably give yourself your Depo shot."

"No thanks, Alice," I snorted. "You're the doctor. I was … just no." She just smirked. Jacob parked the car and helped us out of the backseat. He walked behind us while we passed Seth as he hung out near the entrance to the parking garage. Alice had her arm linked to mine and she was looking around, her eyes darting every which direction. "You alright?"

"Parking garages," she hissed.

"Jake?" I called. He walked over to me and looked at Alice, his brows furrowed. "Can you pick us up at the door when we're done?"

"Sure, Bella," he nodded. "I'm sorry, Alice. It was my mistake."

"No, I need to get over this fear," she whimpered.

"Not today. There's time. You being out without Jasper is a big deal. I don't want to push your limits, Alice," I said, opening the door to the office building where Lauren's salon was located. She sighed, nodding in agreement.

We rode up to Lauren's floor. She hugged us and she gushed about my dress. It was nearly finished, save for a few embellishments. However, we started with Alice's measurements. She was quiet as Lauren barked off numbers to Bree. But, Lauren was very vocal about what she was doing and stayed in Alice's line of sight while she did her work. When she was done, she helped Alice off the raised platform. "Do you want to see the bridesmaid dresses, Alice? Know what you're wearing?"

She nodded, sitting down next to me and taking my hand. "You did great, Alice," I said.

"Thanks," she whispered. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize," I murmured, hugging her. "Be proud of your accomplishments today. You left the house, walked through a parking garage and get measured for a bridesmaid dress. I need my matron of honor looking gorgeous on my wedding day."

"Your matron of honor?" she asked.

"You're my best friend, Alice. Who else am I going to ask? Rose?" I snickered.

"Good point," she smirked.

Lauren walked back into the room and stood on the platform. The shape of the dresses were similar to mine, but they had a single strap. "So, I used a deep red satin with organza overlay. I wanted the dress to have a form, but an ethereal quality to it. The dresses will have crystal embellishments along the hip and a corset top."

"And Leah?" I asked.

"Similar styling, but no corset and looser skirt. More A-line than mermaid," Lauren answered, turning around and putting her hands on her slender hips. "What do you think, Alice?"

"I like them. Very elegant and fitting for a royal wedding," Alice quipped.

"Excellent," Lauren smiled. "Bella picked them out and sent me a few pictures of what she wanted. This was the result." She rubbed her hands together. "Now, Bella. Your turn. Bree will help you into your dress. I'm going to take this off."

I nodded and hugged Alice, following Bree into the dressing room. She put me into my nearly finished dress. She found a similar hair comb and pinned up my hair, putting on my veil and grabbing a bouquet. Slipping on my shoes, I teetered out to the main salon. Jake was sitting next to Alice and his eyes bugged out. "Holy shit," he squeaked.

"Don't cuss, Jake. It's uncouth," Alice teased as she looked up. "Wow, Bella. You look gorgeous."

"I can't wait to wear this," I whispered. "I never imagined I'd ever get married. I mean, I saw what my parents dealt with. My mom was such a heinous bitch to my dad when they got divorced. I said I'd never do this, but I can't imagine _not_ being with Edward."

"You don't talk about your mom," Alice said.

"That's because she's still a heinous bitch. She's due to make her semi-annual appearance to make my life hell," I deadpanned. "I don't really think of my mom as my mom. She was more an incubator than anything. I was just the thing that she and Charlie fought about constantly. I was also blamed for fucking up her figure." I shrugged. "Are you close to your mom?"

"I'm not close to any of my family," Alice replied. "My dad was afraid of my intelligence and my mom? She thought I was a freak. When I was old enough, I left. I have a little sister, Cynthia, whom I speak to on occasion, but she's younger than you and quite ignorant, thanks to my parents' insular beliefs."

"What do you mean?" Lauren asked as she walked out and made some adjustments to my dress.

"Cynthia is probably as smart as me, but my dad insisted on homeschooling her, even though the highest degree of education they both received was a high school diploma," Alice said. "They're also small-minded, hating anyone who is different: blacks, Asians, Muslims, gay, trans, Democrats. They are far-right Republicans and they are unable to see past their very close-minded beliefs. I'm also Republican, but I can still accept anyone who I meet. My father would go off on any of those races I mentioned, calling them hateful names. They weren't at my wedding to Jasper and I don't care to have them in my life. I consider Esme to be more of a mother than my own and Carlisle as my father, but he's Jasper's uncle."

"How about you Lauren? Any fucked-up family life issues?" I asked.

"Nah. Mom was a school teacher and Dad worked as an insurance agent. I knew I didn't want to be a teacher because I hate kid and the idea of working with insurance? Ewwww," she snickered. "I was, however, good at art and working with fabric. So, I started small and before I knew it, my designs were picked up by several bridal salons, but I was contacted by high-end clientele for private and exclusive fittings. With my first big wedding, I secured the lease to this place and the rest is history."

"Awesome. At least one of us is normal," I chuckled. "And this is gorgeous."

"I know," Lauren grinned.

"So modest, Lauren Mallory," I deadpanned.

"I know," she cackled. "Well, I wanted to make sure that this was perfect. Emmett told me that your wedding is going to be a big fucking deal."

"Oh, really? When did this happen?" I asked.

"Over dinner a couple of nights ago," she replied. "We're _kind_ of seeing each other. I know he went through a rough divorce, but he's sweet. And those muscles? Damn … I want to lick his abs."

"You've seen them?" Alice squeaked.

"Not yet, but when we kissed, I felt that rock hard goodness under my fingers," she purred. "Edward is a handsome devil, but I like my men to be more muscle-bound. Emmett is _perfect._ "

"Just … be careful with him. Rough doesn't even begin to describe his divorce," I said. "I love him. He's my brother and I don't want him to get hurt. And DON'T CHEAT!"

"Never. My ex, Tyler, cheated on me and it's a hard limit for me," Lauren growled. "It's worse when I caught them in _my bed_ having anal sex. Those sheets were ruined."

"I would have gotten a new bed," Alice grumbled.

"Suffice it to say, I did. We were living together and I told him that he owed me for what he did to me. He removed me from the apartment lease and gave me about $10K for a new bed and new furniture, considering almost all of the shit in the place was mine," Lauren smirked. "I should have asked for more, but it was mostly second-hand crap. Anyway, last I heard, he's got three kids with three different mothers. One of which was the whore he was schtupping when he was with me." She fluffed my dress and narrowed her eyes. "Do you want more sparkle?"

"No, I think this is perfect," I smiled.

"Good. Me, too. I think we'll have one more fitting and then you're good to go. Late June, early July?" she asked. I nodded and she said she'd call. "Okay, you're done."

"Thanks, Lauren," I said, stepping of the platform. In the dressing room, Bree helped me take off the dress and I walked back out. I saw Alice talking to Lauren and Alice had tears streaming down her face. "Ali?"

"I'm okay," she said. "Lauren and I are kindred spirits, it would seem."

"I was a victim of sexual assault, too. Shortly after I broke up with Tyler, I was groped and forced to give oral sex to some random asshole. Like Alice, I bit down. Hard. I got a piece of him," she smirked. "He's in jail and last I heard, he was someone's bitch."

"But, your attitude is different than mine," Alice shrugged.

"No, it isn't," I said, sitting down on the platform. "Alice, you're a strong, powerful woman. You were subdued by a man who was clearly off his rocker. You were also exhausted. I've seen you. I know what you're capable of, sweetie. You could out-snark this one, easily."

"How long did you feel disconnected?" Alice asked.

"There are moments when I still feel afraid of my own shadow, but with therapy, I got better. With friends and a supportive family, every day was not as bad. It took me a while before I was able to be intimate again, but I was forthcoming with what happened to me. If I guy cared, he let me lead. If he didn't, I showed him the door," Lauren smiled, hugging her. "This happened, what? A month ago?"

"A little over that," I said. "She's doing great."

"I couldn't even get dressed a month afterward," Lauren snickered. "I was foul. Smelly! You'll do this, Alice."

"Thank you," Alice smiled. As she said this, another bride came in with her entourage. "You have an appointment. We should go."

"We need to have a girl's night. No boys allowed," Lauren suggested. "How about a bachelorette party?"

"I'm having some lingerie/sex toy party thing the night before the wedding," I shrugged.

"No, I'm talking about drunken debauchery," Lauren said, her brow arched. "I'll come up with some ideas. I'll call you." She hugged Alice and then me. "It'll be epic!"

"I have no doubt," I chuckled. "Jake, can you get the car?"

"No, I want to walk," Alice said, taking my hand. "I'm done. I'm so done. He can't hurt me. Not anymore."

"Good girl," I beamed, hugging her. Lauren gave her thumbs up and dragged her next appointment into the dressing room.

With that statement from Alice, I saw the strong, spitfire of a woman come back. The woman who I first met and who wouldn't take any bullshit from anyone. Alice was healing and she was going to be okay.

 **A/N: We saw some action. We had some healing. Pictures of Alice and Jasper's new house, the interior, are on my blog. Link for that is in my profile. You can also find me on Facebook: Tufano79's Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation. Twitter, too: tufano79.**

 **Next chapter is Edward and Bella's housewarming party, some citrus and Lauren's drunken and debauchery, bachelorette party. Any ideas, please let me know … Leave me some!**


	20. Chapter 20

**So, none of this is mine. I wrote the first chapter for a contest and now, I'm expanding it. What I own … a condo and too many books. What I don't … _Twilight_ and all its characters.**

 **Next chapter is Edward and Bella's housewarming party, some citrus and Lauren's drunken and debauchery, her version of a bachelorette party at her condo. Any ideas, please let me know … Leave me some!**

 **Chapter Twenty**

 **EPOV**

Memorial Day was this weekend. And with that, we were having a long-awaited housewarming party at our new home. Mrs. Cope was working with my fiancée to make appetizers, side dishes and marinating steaks, chicken along with preparing hamburgers, brats and hot dogs. I was relegated to preparing the meat and cheese tray since I was still hopeless in the kitchen, which would likely remain unchanged. Bella was a wonderful cook, almost as good as my Nonni. On the other hand, I could handle cutting the various different types of cheeses and arranging the salami, pepperoni and prosciutto on the large tray Bella had placed in front of me.

Brainless work … mostly.

Also, it was nice to have the house to ourselves. Once Alice and Jasper moved into their new house just down the street a couple weeks ago, Bella and I were able to _reconnect_ on a level that had been neglected after Alice's assault. It just felt wrong to make love when there was a sexual assault survivor in the house, so we refrained from smexy times while they stayed with us.

Bella and I were both pervs and fucking proud of it. Once we were on our own, there was no flat surface, including the grand piano my mother gave to us as housewarming gift, that was not christened by our naked bodies.

Though, today, our house was going to be swarmed by family and friends. There would be no real time to have naked fun time with Bella. Like quality time … I required hours, really. I wanted to give her orgasms she'd feel in her toes. Damn it, I was horny. I wanted to be inside her. Really, really badly. The blowjob she'd given me this morning … not enough. I want her pussy. Fuck, I want it now!

God, I feel like I'm having a temper tantrum, throwing things so I could be inside of my fiancée. What's wrong with me?

"Edward, baby, you're going to chop off your finger," Bella giggled, her eyes dancing with humor.

"Huh?" I replied intelligently. _And you have an MBA …_ She walked over to me, taking the knife from my hand, which was dangerously close to my fingers. Blinking slowly and coming out of my hormonal fog, I asked, "What?"

"You were staring off into space, growling and grunting like you do when we're making love," she whispered, with a sweet giggle. "Mrs. Cope was embarrassed. She's going to the bathroom since she was the color of a tomato."

"Shit, I'm sorry," I blushed.

"Have fun in your erotic daydream, Mobward?" she teased, nudging with me her shoulder.

"I'd rather have fun with your pussy," I smirked. "Come here, _dolce_. Give me some of that sweetness between your legs."

"Behave, Edward," she whined, but her frustration was evident in her voice, her head falling to my shoulder. "In about two hours, this place will be filled with our friends, family and coworkers from your office. I cannot walk around with wet panties."

"Simple. Don't wear any," I quipped. Bella smacked my arm with an adorable scowl. "What?"

"Don't make me kick your ass, Edward Anthony," she growled. "Now, go check to see if the fridge in the outdoor kitchen is stocked with beer, wine and wine coolers."

"Who the fuck drinks wine coolers? Are we at a college party?" I deadpanned. "I remember drinking _Zima_ when I was away at school. Fuck …"

"I'm in college, asshat," she snapped, arching a brow and giving me a defiant smile.

"Graduate school, _cara_. There's a difference," I snapped back with a crooked grin and she rolled her eyes, an aggravated huff escaping her lips.

"And to let you know, it was your _mother_ who requested the wine coolers," Bella snickered. She kissed my lips, pushing me out the back slider. I checked the refrigerator, seeing it was filled. I also checked the garage refrigerator for more alcoholic beverages to refill the outdoor kitchen. When I was done, Bella told me to go upstairs to shower. She was supposed to finish making the appetizers and side dishes. The mains would be cooked outside. Jake and Emmett were manning the grill, again, because I was hopeless in the realm of cooking.

Going back inside, I went upstairs and grabbed a pair of shorts since it was really warm. Summer was coming early. I was happy with the warm weather. I'd rather deal with the heat than the cold. It was the Italian blood flowing through my veins that made me love the heat.

Bella, however, was in the shower. _Oooh, bonus! Naked fun time?_ I checked my watch and we had some time before people started arriving. I stripped out of my clothes and slid into the shower. My hands wrapped around her tiny waist. "Edward," she whimpered, turning around. "You should be …"

"Making love to my fiancée," I said, kissing her deeply. She moaned as her hands fisted my hair. My tongue slid between her lips, tasting her sweet mouth. "I need you, _cara_. I love you and I just have to show you."

"Yes, baby," she breathed, her hand snaking down my belly, wrapping around my growing arousal. She twisted her hand, running it along my length.

"Hmm, as nice as that feels, you had your taste this morning. Now, it's my turn," I purred against her neck. I kissed down her body, suckling on her breasts before crouching before her. I draped one leg over my shoulder. I nibbled on her inner thigh before I wrapped my lips around her erect clit.

"Fuck," Bella moaned, her hands tangling into my hair. I smiled against her pussy, tasting her sweetness, which was going to be the most delectable thing on the menu by far. My tongue slid along her folds, relishing in her arousal that coated my lips. I flicked her clit and pushed two fingers inside her, making her shudder. "Your mouth on me … so fucking good. Don't stop. Don't ever stop, Edward."

"Never," I growled, lapping up her essence and pumping my hand in and out of her slowly, teasing her. I wanted her to feel every inch of me today. My fingers, my tongue, my cock … The latter would come soon, after my girl came.

Hard.

I wanted my own shower, damn it. _Do you catch my drift?_

I curled my fingers inside her, massaging the spongy part of her that made her explode all around me every time. I sucked on her clit and felt her body rock with me with each thrust of my hand. She was moaning, loudly. I blinked up, my free hand cupping one of her breasts. I roughly rubbed my thumb across her nipple and she groaned. Her arousal was spilling out of her, coating my hand. I could taste her on my tongue. Her essence was everything delicious about my girl. All sweet, succulent and perfect, just like her.

"Edward … I'm so fucking close. Harder, baby," she whimpered, looking down and biting her lip. I growled against her folds, sucking on her clit and pounding my hand inside her. She leaned heavily against the tiled wall as she panted, pleading, crying for more. With my pinky, I grazed her asshole and she shuddered, her head falling back in pleasure. "FUCK! Edward …"

"Soon, _cara_ ," I purred against her skin. She was quickly losing all control. She gripped my hair, pulling on the strands tightly as her climax began to rip through her. It was messy, juicy and exactly what I wanted for us, for her, _for me_. I kept thrusting my hand inside her as she rode the waves of her orgasm, circling her clit with my other hand. She trembled, her knees buckling when it was over and I stood up quickly, holding her against my chest. "Feel good, Bella?"

"Boneless," she mumbled against my chest, her body still quaking from her climax. I picked her up, her legs on either side of me. I pinned her to the shower wall, kissing her languidly. Her legs locked at the small of my back while her hand dug into my shoulders. "I taste myself on your lips, baby."

"It's so fucking delicious, _dolce._ You truly live up to your name," I purred, cupping her ass and sliding into her warmth. She gasped, her mouth hanging open. "Fuck, you're so tight, Isabella. I wish I could be inside you. Always."

She responded with a deep, loving kiss as her muscles clenched around me. I thrust into her, filling every inch of her body. She clung to me, her lips moving with mine as I made love to her. I gripped her hips, staring into her eyes as we moved as one. I pulled away, watching her face as we shared her body. "You're so beautiful, _mi amore,"_ I whispered.

"Edward, I love you so much," she whispered back, her fingers tracing my jaw. I continued moving inside her, feeling her wetness, appreciating in her tightness and never wanting to break our connection. My movements were slow, deliberate and filled with as much love as I had for her. She was my world. My everything. I would walk through fire for her. I would do anything to ensure her safety.

Even walk away from my life of crime.

And let me tell you … it's fucking tempting.

I do not want Bella to be caught in the crosshairs of my life. I don't want any harm to happen to her. Ever. I would give up everything for her.

However, feeling Bella all around me, her lips moving with mine, her hands tangled in my hair and her pussy clinging to me … it made everything worth it. She was my best friend, my fiancée, my lover, the future mother to our children and more. "I love you," I murmured against her mouth, cupping her ass a little tighter. She moaned, her fingers sliding down my back. I pushed harder, needing more of her body. "Touch yourself, baby. I want us to come together. I'm close."

She smiled, leaning back and snaking her hand down her flat tummy. Her fingers found her clit, rolling it expertly as I sped up my thrusts. I watched my cock disappear into her pussy. It was covered with her essence, marking me as hers. And within moments, I would mark her as mine. She felt too good. Her body was practically made for me with everything I found gorgeous in a woman …

Dark hair, flowing like rivulets of chocolate.

Expressive, but kind and loving espresso brown eyes.

Fair skin with the faintest blush of rose petals.

Pink, plump lips, begging for kisses.

Pert breasts, with dusty peach nipples.

Brilliant mind, filled with love and devotion to her family … _our family._

Wicked sense of humor, unafraid to put me in my place.

And a heart of gold.

All this smexing is turning me into a goddamned poet.

"My Bella," I whispered as I covered her mouth with mine as my orgasm rumbled through me like a freight train. Ribbons of my cum filling her, marking her as mine and I growled lowly, possessively. She came with me, my name falling from her lips like a prayer. I kept thrusting until my dick softened, falling out of her. When that happened, I buried my face into her neck and kissed just behind her ear. "I do love you, _cara_. I'm so blessed to have you in my life."

"I love you more, Edward," she said, her voice matching the reverence I carried in my soft confession. She took my face, smiling tenderly at me. She brushed her lips with mine and unhooked her legs. I gently placed her on her feet. "You are sneaky, baby."

"I couldn't resist you, Bella," I said, caressing her cheek. "Besides, it'll be a long time before everyone is gone and I can make love to you again. In our bed … I plan on taking my time with you … but, after our party."

"Which is starting an hour now, Mobward," she said, arching a brow. "I didn't want to wash my hair but some horny brute got me all wet."

"In more ways than two, but I didn't hear you complaining," I snickered, twisting her under the shower spray. I washed her hair, massaging her scalp. She was purring and snuggled against me, her hands resting on my ass. After I washed my hair, we got out of the shower. She kicked me out of the bathroom so she could get ready, but she was grinning sexily as she did so. I dressed in a pair of shorts I'd pulled out earlier and a golf shirt. Spraying on a light layer of cologne, I went downstairs. Mrs. Cope was making a fruit salad, cutting up some strawberries. "I've missed you, Mrs. Cope. How are things?"

"They are good. Spending a lot of time with my children, grandchildren," she smiled. "And I've missed you, too, Edward. Your fiancée has done wonders to you. You seem so much happier. Lighter."

"I am," I grinned, popping in a piece of cantaloupe. "She's everything I never knew I needed. She makes me happy, gives me focus and definitely makes everything worthwhile."

"I'm glad," Mrs. Cope beamed. "And this house … absolutely gorgeous. Much nicer and homier than the condo."

"Thank you, but it was Bella and Esme's doing. They worked their magic with this place, turning it into a show place, but still maintaining its warmth," I said. "I'm looking forward to everyone seeing it. Are you sure you can't stay?"

"I've got my own Memorial Day barbeque," she answered, mixing the fruit salad, covering it with Grand Marnier and putting it into the fridge. "I think you're all set, Edward. Bella has everything she needs and you just need to stay out of the kitchen." I scowled at her. She chuckled, "Have fun today."

She kissed me on the cheek, and hugged me before leaving the house. I took out a beer, opening it and sitting on the couch, watching whatever baseball game was on ESPN. Bella came down, wearing a pretty summer dress. Her hair was curly and pinned back with a clip. "You look beautiful, _cara,"_ I smiled.

"Thank you, baby," she said, walking over to me and taking a sip of my beer. "Your parents are on their way. Esme texted me. Emmett is picking up Lauren."

"Really?" I asked, waggling my brows. "He's bringing her to a family function?"

"She's my friend, too," she giggled, sitting on the arm of the couch. "But, it is a big deal. Let's not make a bigger deal by making some random comment to him. You know? He's probably freaking out. He's kind of dating after the whole bullshit nonsense with the She-Beast."

"Well, Anthony coming with his family is going to take some of that pressure off Emmett. Plus, I think Sue is coming, too," I smiled. "She's not staying for long, but she had to tender her resignation in person at the web design company she was working for. They wouldn't accept her letter of resignation, even though she said she had a family emergency, taking her out of the state."

"That's bullshit," Bella growled.

"They were docking her pay, which is even a bigger deal," I sneered. "Suffice it to say, I've hired Sue to do some web design work for our company remotely and I'm paying her. Handsomely. And I have Jenks representing her in some lawsuit against the company against withholding pay illegally." Bella smiled softly, moving to sit on my lap. Her arms snaked around my neck and she kissed me, her lips moving pliantly with mine. My hands found her tiny waist and I returned her sweet kiss. She pulled back, her eyes swirling with love. "Not that I'm complaining, but what was that for, _cara?_ "

"Because I love you and you're a good man," she whispered, her eyes welling with tears.

 **BPOV**

"Because I love you and you're a good man," I murmured and my heart constricting. "I always knew you were good and were kind, but what you're doing for Sue … Leah … Seth … I, I just love you. Thank you for being you."

He cupped my face, staring into my eyes. His evergreen gaze was so filled with love, adoration and respect; it made my heart stammer against my ribs. "Thank you, my love," he whispered. He leaned forward, pressing his forehead to mine. I just drank him in, relishing in the quiet before our friends and family descended on us. They were on their way. I wanted this party. I wanted to celebrate our new home, but I also wanted to spend time with Edward.

Alone.

That little morsel we'd shared in the shower? It only made me _want more._ But, we were insatiable for each other. I prayed that never would stop.

Almost as soon as we were settled into our new digs, Alice was attacked by that animal, Alec. She and Jasper spent almost a month with us. I was more than willing to help out. I loved her and would do anything for her. She needed it, but it made for a stressful month. I don't think I slept through the night at any point once she'd arrived. Her night terrors, coupled with some pretty vocal fights with Jasper, sleep was at a premium. It also made Edward on edge. He was worried that because he wasn't sleeping, he'd get injured, or worse, killed.

Yeah, that didn't help me any.

I damn near had a heart attack.

Hell, after that night with the botched delivery? With the driver having the heart attack? Shit … What if it was Edward?

I swear, I'm going to go prematurely grey with all of this nonsense.

The phone rang in his pocket and I jumped. "You okay, _dolce?_ " Edward asked. "You're awfully jumpy."

"Sorry," I shrugged. "I keep forgetting that everyone, unless they've been preapproved, needs to be buzzed in by the gatehouse."

"It's why we liked this neighborhood," he said, picking up his cell phone that was still ringing in his pocket. "Plus, with our own security team and a fiancé who is a sharp shooter? Safest part of the state, Bella." He answered the phone. "Cullen … yes, we're expecting them. I believe my fiancée emailed over a list of approved guests, approximately fifty? … Excellent. I appreciate it." He hung up the phone. "Angela and her husband, Ben, are on their way along with Jessica, the receptionist from the office. She hitched a ride."

"I guess we need to behave?" I pouted.

"It is our house. If we want to fuck on the front steps, people would have to deal with it," Edward quipped, his eyes darkening and his voice deepening with promise.

"I love you, baby, but exhibitionism is not something I want to explore with my _family_ around," I snorted, getting up off his lap and smoothing my skirt. "Complete strangers? Eh, possibly. But, my uncle, your parents? Hell no."

"Damn it," Edward laughed, snapping his fingers. "Though, I don't want my parents to see my hairy ass, either."

"Your ass is NOT hairy. Pale? Yes. Not hairy," I giggled and walking to the kitchen to pull out the appetizers from the refrigerator, along with turning on the oven for the heated starters. A few moments later, the doorbell rang and Edward got up from the couch. He let in his assistant, her husband and the receptionist from the office. Jasper and Alice were on their heels. Quickly, the house was filled with our guests. Edward gave tours while I made sure that the food was put out. Esme helped me, along with Uncle Jimmy.

He was now walking around with a cane, wearing on a removable boot. He was feeling better and even volunteered to help with the meal in the outdoor kitchen. I told him not to push himself, but he said he'd be fine. Erring on the side of caution, I had Jake put a stool outside near the grill for my uncle.

I needed him to give me away and I didn't want to walk down the aisle on the arm with a man with a limp.

Shallow, I know.

As I was fussing in the kitchen, Edward walked in with a handsome man who was about ten years older than Edward and an attractive woman, also older. "Bella, I want to introduce you to someone," he smiled. "This is my cousin Anthony and his wife, Nina. I'd introduce you to their kids, but they ran off with Emmett and Seth with the promise of some sort of Nerf Gun war."

"We start 'em young," Anthony quipped, a bright smile spreading over his face.

With a chuckle, I wiped my hands, holding out my hand to Anthony. "It's so nice to meet you," I beamed.

"We're family. We hug," Anthony snickered, pulling me into his arms and kissing my cheek. "It's a pleasure to meet you in person. Edward sang your praises when he was in New York and was so worried about you."

"Right, I was laid up with pneumonia. I never, ever want to get that. Again," I groaned.

"Better now?" Anthony asked, his brows furrowed with concern.

"Other than having to use an inhaler occasionally, yeah," I nodded.

"And I had to hear about you second hand," Nina snorted, smacking her husband's arm. "I wanted to see Edward, too, but no, you had to have a clandestine meeting without me." She turned to me, her chocolate eyes dancing. Her hair was cut into a chic bob with artful highlights. She was older, but had great skin, a warm toffee color and a warm smile. "I'm so happy you finally got our Edward to settle down." She hugged me, too.

"My Bella is special that way," Edward chuckled. "I saw her and I knew."

"You knew you wouldn't starve," I quipped.

"Still a mess in the kitchen?" Nina asked, clucking her tongue. Edward rolled his eyes.

"Pretty much, yeah," I giggled. "Mrs. Cope, his cook, is amazing, but I like cooking. She helped with the preparations for today, but it's like therapy for me. Edward just likes to eat it."

"That explains what you got a gut, tubbo," Anthony laughed, poking Edward's belly. _Are you kidding me? My man has an eight pack._

Edward made a face, smacking Anthony's arm. "Uh, that would be you, lard ass."

"Boys, behave," Nina chided. "I swear, you're worse than my children."

"He started it," they both growled, pointing to each other.

"Oh, my," I snorted. "Are they always like this?"

"Yes. They revert back to their childhood when not discussing _business_ ," Nina smirked, using air quotes around the word 'business'. "Behave, boys. Go find our kids and tire them out. Momma's horny."

"I might get laid tonight?" Anthony asked, his brows waggling.

"If we can get Carmella and AJ down, yes," Nina said. Anthony didn't even wait. He dragged Edward away while I started cackling. "You don't understand. When you have two children, under the age of six, sex is a luxury. I've got cobwebs up in the punani."

"Oh, Nina. I like you," I laughed.

"Good. I like you, too. I'm also here to rescue you from the kitchen. This is your party. Edward can schmooze with the best of them, but he can be a damned good go-fer," Nina said, pouring me a glass of wine and linking arms with me. "Let's sit, relax and get to know each other? Hmmmm?"

We went outside and sat down on the patio, drinking our wine. Esme joined us, along with Alice and Lauren. We chattered about the wedding. Nina had some great ideas where to find Edward's ring, because I wanted it to be one of a kind. Lauren also started prattling about the non-bachelorette bachelorette party. She said she'd host it at her condo.

"No strippers. Please, they're gross," I moaned. "No man should wear body glitter."

"I promise, no strippers," Lauren snickered.

"Why don't I trust you?" I deadpanned.

"Because you shouldn't," she laughed. "But, seriously. Trust me."

"And on that note," I sang, getting up to go set up the side dishes in the kitchen, which we were using as a buffet. By late afternoon, our buffet is brutalized. Edward's pristine golf shirt was covered in ketchup from little Carmella, who decided to use Edward as a napkin. From his wrinkled nose, he wanted to change, but it would appear that his little cousin had developed a crush on my fiancé. She didn't want to leave his lap. I thought it was adorable. I took numerous pictures with my phone as she snuggled against him, happy as a clam next to her Eddard.

Carmella really couldn't say her 'w's.'

The party began to dissipate, only leaving close family, including Sue and Leah, around nine. Edward made a fire in the fire pit. AJ and Carmella, Nina and Anthony's kids were crashed on the couch. Though, if Carmella had her way, she'd be curled up on Edward's lap.

I was sitting on a chaise lounge, in between Edward's legs. I looked around and for the first time, I felt like I was a part of a family. I had this moment of clarity at Christmas, but today? Tonight? These people sitting around the fire pit were my family. I was over-the-moon happy. I was in love. I had a family.

A real family.

It was more than just me and Jimmy. These people loved me. Love Uncle Jimmy and …

A family … my family.

 **EPOV**

Bella was looking around the fire pit. Her body was snuggled against mine. I held her against my chest. "You okay, _dolce?_ " I asked, seeing her wipe her cheeks.

"I'm fine," she whispered, turning and kissing my jaw. "Love you, baby."

"I love you more," I whispered back, dropping a kiss to her lips. I pulled away, watching as Jasper took out his guitar. I saw him carry it in when he arrived. "You going to play?"

"It's too quiet," Jasper quipped. "Besides, my sexy wife wants to be my groupie."

"Sure, Jas. You keep telling yourself that," Alice snorted. She was slowly getting better. She still freaked out in parking garages, but she was more like her old self. She'd also opened up a clinic for our family in her house and was researching going into private practice in town, associating herself with a nearby hospital.

"Oh, please, you swoon whenever I play," Jasper laughed. He took out his guitar and tuned it, plucking a few notes. "Any requests?"

"What was that song that my dad sang to me as a lullaby? You and he sounded so good together, Uncle Jimmy," Bella said, her voice soft and reflective.

"'Dust in the Wind' by Kansas," Uncle Jimmy answered. "Do you know that, Jasper?"

"Know it?" Jasper scoffed as he put down his pick. "It's the song that taught me how to finger pick. My nails aren't long enough."

"Because that's creepy, Jasper. One hand with short nails and the other with talons?" Alice shuddered. "Not a good look, baby."

Jasper shrugged, his fingers dancing over the strings. As he played the introduction, Uncle Jimmy's eyes softened and he began singing the song. Bella snuggled closer, her fingers twining with mine. We were all listening and when Jimmy and Jasper harmonized, Alice swooned, just as Jasper predicted, and tears ran down my girl's face unabated. Jasper caught my eye, as did Jimmy. I was a musician. I didn't sing much, but I added my voice to theirs, rounding out the chords. When the song ended, there was a beat of silence. I kissed Bella's head as she looked up at me, her eyes shimmering with tears.

"That was beautiful," Mom breathed, pulling everyone's attention away from Bella. "You're very talented, Jimmy. Have you ever sung? Professionally?"

"Karaoke," he snickered, but his voice was quiet and sad. "Charlie was the singer. His voice was something else. But, he was a pragmatist. He didn't dwell on his dreams, even though he could have made it big. He became a cop, rising through the ranks to become a detective until his death."

"You know 'More than Words'?" Jasper asked.

"Who doesn't?" Jimmy laughed. "I think Alice will melt with that song."

"I'm thinking about you," Jasper snorted. "Sue is totally giving you goo-goo eyes."

"I am not," Sue blushed.

"Yes, you are," Seth quipped. "We know you guys are flirting. Jimmy, make my mother melt."

We all laughed and Jasper began playing again. I looked down at Bella and she was smiling softly, her eyes still glistening with tears. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Perfect," she said. "I'll explain when everyone's gone."

We listened to Jasper and Jimmy sing for the better part of an hour. I also hopped in with Bon Jovi's 'Wanted: Dead or Alive.' It was a perfect night for our family. A little before midnight, Anthony, Nina, Emmett and Lauren drove back to the city. Anthony was staying in my condo with his family. Seth followed close behind with his mom and sister, going to a secured hotel. Leah was exhausted, leaning heavily against Seth, but you could tell she was happy to see Bella. She was also excited to wear her princess dress for the wedding.

My parents drove Alice and Jasper back to their house, leaving Bella and I alone, still sitting on the chaise lounge in our backyard. She was idly tracing my forearm, staring off into the dying flames in the fire pit. "Talk to me, _cara,_ " I whispered. "Why were you so upset?"

"Not upset," she replied. "Happy. I never really had this, Edward. It was always just me, Dad and Jimmy. I didn't have a big family. Both of my grandparents died when I was young. My mother is a raging bitch, only thinking about herself. So, do you remember the show? _My Two Dads?"_

"Vaguely," I answered.

"That was my life. My dad and Jimmy took care of everything for me. Occasionally, Victoria would join us, but only when she was trying to convince Jimmy to take their relationship to the next level," Bella snorted. "But, being here with your family … it made me happy. I finally have a family of my own. A loud, boisterous, loving family. Yes, it's through marriage."

"Bella, you're one of us," I said. "From the moment I met you, you were … You're a part of our family and will be, even if we don't work out. I think my mother likes you better than me."

"Probably," Bella quipped, but she turned, her hands pressed to my face. "And we're going to be fine. Couples fight. They grow. They have moods. We're well-matched, baby."

"Good, because, I don't know if I could walk away like I'd suggested. I love you too much," I said, pulling her into my arms and kissing her senseless.

"Show me, baby," she whispered, her voice needy and her fingers twining in my hair. "But, upstairs. It's cold."

"I was planning on it. I don't want to share you. With anyone," I purred, picking her up and darting up the stairs with her in my arms, making love to her, all night long.

 **BPOV**

My bridal shower was in two weeks. Edward and I had way too much fun at the high-end store where we registered. We had everything we needed, so we just scanned the stuff we wanted. Mainly decorative pieces that would pull our home together. However, tonight, was my non-bachelorette bachelorette party. Lauren had planned it. Alice and I were going to her condo in Wrigleyville with Esme, Nina, Angela, Sue, and Jessica. Emily wanted to come, but she was working and couldn't get the night off. Leah wouldn't understand what was going on, so she was hanging out with her brother.

"Bella, come on! Jasper is giving me the hairy eyeball," Alice teased. "He doesn't want to be late for the game."

"Tell him to hold his horses," I said, putting on my mascara. "It's not like he has to look for parking. I mean, Lauren was kind enough to let Jasper, Edward, Emmett, Jake and Carlisle use her parking spot for her condo. We have time."

"BELLA! COME ON!" Jasper whined. "I love you like a sister, but it's the cross-town classic!"

"Is that supposed to mean something?" I quipped. Edward walked up and into our bedroom. He was wearing a Cubs jersey and a matching hat. "What, baby?"

"Isabella Marie, you are the love of my life but we have tickets behind home plate," he growled. "A thank you from Tyler and Mike for supporting Bound and Gagged. Yes, they are tickets, but part of going to Wrigley Field is the experience of being on the corner of Clark and Addison. We want to really enjoy this!"

"Okay, okay, I'm done," I snickered, which caused Alice to laugh hysterically on my bed. "Seriously, though. I have no idea … who's playing?"

"Ugh, Bella," he groaned, throwing up his hands. "Cross-town classic. Cubs verses the White Sox?"

"Still means absolutely nothing to me," I giggled, kissing his cheek and leaving him, flummoxed in our room. Grabbing my purse, we all loaded into the massive SUV. Jacob and Jasper were wearing White Sox jerseys while Edward and Emmett were in a Cubs jersey. Jake and Jasper teased the two Cullen brothers, but my fiancée just flipped them off as he clambered into the car. The ride was filled with razzing by Jake and Jasper, teasing Edward about the Cubs, but he gave as good as he got. Alice and I were just entertained by their shenanigans.

We arrived at Lauren's condo an hour later. Jasper was bitching when we hit traffic, but after they parked and met up with Carlisle, they took off to the ball park. Demetri was going to stay close by in Carlisle and Esme's car, but not actually _at_ the party.

I'm certain he'd not be very comfortable with drunken, debauchery and sex tips. Hell, I wasn't looking forward to it. I was afraid that Lauren would go against me and get a fucking stripper. They're GROSS! The only naked man I want to see is Edward. He's normal, natural and not covered in fucking body glitter. Plus, he doesn't shave his ass or back or whatever. He's perfect with his muscular body, the smattering of chest hair across his pectoral muscles and underneath his navel leading to the treasure trove beneath his pants, his muscular jaw and his mess of bronze-colored hair that was tousled sexily from his hands running through. But, what got the most was his emerald eyes, as they shone with absolute love for me, for us. I felt it when we made love after our barbeque. His eyes held mine as he filled me, completing my soul, it would seem.

No stripper could ever do that.

So, I'll take Edward. Any day.

Up in Lauren's condo, which was very adorable in a chic-urban living kind of way, we settled onto the overstuffed grey sofas. Glasses of wine were handed out and we nibbled on the nosh she'd set out. Lauren sat down across from me, eating a carrot stick. "Bree's coming along. She didn't want to miss your party," she sang.

"She's not bringing a stripper, is she?" I asked, arching a brow at Lauren.

"Do you want some more wine?" Lauren asked, hopping up to go to the kitchen.

"Lauren Mallory!" I barked. "I don't want some disgusting human rubbing his junk all over me."

Lauren made a face, but sent a text. "Okay, fine. Stripper is canceled, but Bree is still coming. With some goodies," she smirked. "As a side business, Bree sells sex toys."

"That I can handle," I grumbled, shooting Lauren a glower.

"So, a silicone dildo is okay, but a half-naked, hot guy is not?" Nina asked.

I just wrinkled my nose, shaking my head. Alice, however, saved me. "With what happened to me, I don't think I could handle it," she said. "I'm just now getting used to Jasper's body. Seeing some other guy? I don't want to fly into a flashback. Heaven forbid Bella gives me another shot of Ativan. Illegally." She gave me a shitty grin, causing me to roll my eyes.

"Alice, really?" I argued.

"Yes, really," she laughed. "But, I'm proud of you, Bells. You took care of me when I was incapable to do so."

"I hadn't thought of that, Alice. I'm sorry," Lauren said, her smile falling. Alice waved her hand, shrugging slightly. She took her phone out, tapping furiously. She read her screen and replied. "Bree's about a half hour away. She has to stop by and pick her booty from her apartment."

"Booty or bootay?" Sue asked.

"Both," Lauren smirked. "Now, let's give Bella some advice to maintain marital bliss. I'll go first. Don't underestimate the power of role play in the bedroom. It keeps things spicy in that department."

"What are some favorites, Lauren?" I questioned, arching a brow.

"Teacher and student," she replied. "Oh, and boss and naughty secretary."

"Angela, do you mind if I defile your desk?" I quipped, giggling quietly.

"Defile Edward's desk," Angela laughed. "Marital bliss? Never go to bed mad."

"Because make up sex is so awesome," Jessica added. "All emotions and hmmmm … it's hot! Also, Mr. Cullen is freaking gorgeous. I'm totes jealous, Bella. You're, like, my age and you nabbed that wonderful specimen of man meat."

"He's my son," Esme deadpanned. "Please don't refer to my child as a 'wonderful specimen of man meat.'"

"Shit! I'm so sorry, Mrs. Cullen," Jessica blushed.

"I respect and understand that my child is handsome, but just be a little more tactful when describing him," Esme smirked. "A 'hot piece of ass' would work quite nicely."

"Esme!" I laughed.

"What? I consider Carlisle to be a hot piece of ass. And he's all mine," Esme purred, rubbing her hands together. "My advice to maintain marital bliss is better shared when we're alone."

"Bullshit, Esme," Nina cackled. "We're about to be surrounded by fake dicks. Spill it, sister."

"Fine, fine," Esme grumbled. "Visiting your husband, wearing nothing but a trench coat and a pair of heels? Works wonders for the libido. Giving him a blow job while he's talking on the phone? Hot. Public sex? So much fun and very, very naughty. The thrill of being caught? Priceless."

"She just created a Master Card commercial … the X-rated version," Alice snickered. "Esme, I would have never known. You're so _demure._ "

"Ludacris said it perfectly in that Usher song … a lady on the streets and a freak in the bed … totally an apt description of me," Esme replied smugly. "What's your advice, Nina?"

"Encourage Nonni and Papa to take the grandchildren. Often," Nina said, her eyes wistful. "My parents live in Boca Raton. And well, you know who Anthony's father is … Stephan is a douche. I don't want my kids around him, not that he even acknowledges them. Maria, however, is awesome. She flew out after I had AJ and was a godsend." She waved her hand and took a healthy swig of her wine.

"Sue, what about you?" I asked.

"I could be safe and give you what my mother-in-law told me," Sue said. "Or, I could be pervy."

"Both," Lauren said.

"A way to man's heart is through his stomach," Sue said, rolling her eyes. "And based on your culinary skills, you're fine there. Pervy advice? Sexy lingerie … the skimpier? The better."

The doorbell rang and Lauren hopped up. Bree walked in, dressed in a tight black dress and carrying a bright pink bag. "I come bearing goodies," she sang. She whipped out a massive pink dildo. "Who needs some cock?"

 **EPOV**

The baseball game was amazing. The Cubs were kicking ass and taking names. The shit-talking was never-ending. From my father, brother and me, along with the other Cub fans surrounding Jake and Jasper. The took it all in stride, cheering when the Sox got their single run and booing when Kris Bryant homered, along with Rizzo and Baez.

We left by the seventh inning. Jasper got a weird feeling and not wanting to tempt fate, we left the park and took a cab back to Lauren's condo. I'd sent a text to Bella and she was barely coherent, responding back with a picture of dildo in my mother's mouth.

 _I can never unsee that. Ugh!_

We stopped at a bar nearby, watching the rest of the game and sharing a beer. My father's cell phone went off and he smiled, dark and sinister. "Hmmm, it appears that your mother is …" he trailed off. "It's time to go."

"Dad, are you going to be pervy with Mom?" Emmett asked, his nose wrinkled.

"As many times as I can," he replied, finishing his beer and tossing a couple hundred dollar bills on the table. Emmett and I shared a look of disgust. We both knew our parents got it on, but we didn't need a physical, nor verbal reminder. Jasper just laughed and Jake shook his head with a wry smile on his face.

We walked to the condo and rang the doorbell. Demetri opened the door, trying to keep a very drunk Jessica from sucking off his face. "You couldn't have come at a better time," he said, his eyes wide.

"Dude, you can kill a man with a single finger but you can't handle a single female?" Emmett teased. Demetri gave him a glower. Jessica was suctioned on him, holding onto him like a limpet, nibbling his ear. "Never mind. She's …"

"She thought I was a stripper," Demetri growled. "She cupped my junk. Ugh!"

"I'm sorry, Demetri," I said sympathetically, barely able to hide my smile. He rolled his eyes. "Where's my mother and my fiancée?"

"Finalizing their purchases with Bree," he answered, extracting Jessica's arms from his body. "Miss Stanley, as flattering as your affections are, I'm …" He couldn't finish as she kissed him, her legs locking around his waist. We all fell over in hysterics as Bella and my mom came up from the basement, holding large pink shopping bags. Bella looked sober enough, but my mom was a little blitzed. She teetered over to my father and kissed him deeply, plunging her tongue down his throat.

"Get your freak on, Esme," Bella encouraged. Mom smiled wickedly, tugging on my dad's hand and dragging him out of the condo. Demetri managed to break free from Jessica and followed them. Jake blocked her from trying to catch up. He was the new object of her affections, but he wasn't nearly as fazed as Demetri. He stood tall and unmoving as a stone. "Alice is almost finished, baby."

"Oooh, Alice bought something?" Jasper asked, his brows waggling.

"You'll find out soon enough, Mr. Impatient," Bella chided. She hugged Lauren. "Thank you for this. It was nice to have a girl's night in. And the advice … hmmmm … perfection."

"You going to use some of it tonight?" she asked.

"I think I might," Bella purred, staring at me. When Alice came up, we all got into the SUV. I was curious what was going to happen with Jessica, but Bella's hungry gaze at me held my attention and that was all that mattered.

The drive home was too long. Alice and Jasper were flirting and Bella was just holding my hand, smiling softly and idly tracing the veins on my hand. Jake dropped off Alice and Jasper before pulling into our house. With a smile, he bid us goodnight. Bella went to the refrigerator and took out a bottle of water. I went to peak into the pink bag. Bella looked at me, her eyes fiery. "Mr. Cullen, you've been a naughty student. Passing notes in class. Cheating on a test and trying to catch a glimpse down a girl's blouse," she growled. "You have a detention, sir. Though, you're awfully dirty. You have ten minutes to shower and dress in the clothes I put out on your bed. Then, we will dispense your punishment."

I blinked, shocked at her cold demeanor. But her eyes were twinkling with promise. With a crooked grin, I replied, "Yes, Miss Swan."

 **A/N: Cliffhanger, kids. A smexy one. Suffice it to say, next chapter will start with a lemon and get you closer to the wedding and to the climax of the story … I pray you all stay with me during that. It's going to be bloody and angsty. I'm giving you a violence warning now. _Just saying …_**

 **Pictures of Wrigley Field, Lauren's condo and the barbeque (fire pit and outdoor kitchen) are on my blog. You can find the link to the blog on my profile. I'm also on Facebook: Tufano79's Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation. Twitter, too: tufano79. Leave me some loving!**


	21. Chapter 21

**So, none of this is mine. I wrote the first chapter for a contest and now, I'm expanding it. What I own … a condo and too many books. What I don't … _Twilight_ and all its characters.**

 **Cliffhanger, kids. A smexy one. Suffice it to say, next chapter will start with a lemon and get you closer to the wedding and to the climax of the story … I pray you all stay with me during that. It's going to be bloody and angsty. I'm giving you a violence warning now. _Just saying …_**

 **Chapter Twenty-One**

 **EPOV**

 _We walked to the condo and rang the doorbell. Demetri opened the door, trying to keep a very drunk Jessica from sucking off his face. "You couldn't have come at a better time," he said, his eyes wide._

 _"Dude, you can kill a man with a single finger but you can't handle a single female?" Emmett teased. Demetri gave him a glower. Jessica was suctioned on him, holding onto him like a limpet, nibbling his ear. "Never mind. She's …"_

 _"She thought I was a stripper," Demetri growled. "She cupped my junk. Ugh!"_

 _"I'm sorry, Demetri," I said sympathetically, barely able to hide my smile. He rolled his eyes. "Where's my mother and my fiancée?"_

 _"Finalizing their purchases with Bree," he answered, extracting Jessica's arms from his body. "Miss Stanley, as flattering as your affections are, I'm …" He couldn't finish as she kissed him, her legs locking around his waist. We all fell over in hysterics as Bella and my mom came up from the basement, holding large pink shopping bags. Bella looked sober enough, but my mom was a little blitzed. She teetered over to my father and kissed him deeply, plunging her tongue down his throat._

 _"Get your freak on, Esme," Bella encouraged. Mom smiled wickedly, tugging on my dad's hand and dragging him out of the condo. Demetri managed to break free from Jessica and followed them. Jake blocked her from trying to catch up. He was the new object of her affections, but he wasn't nearly as fazed as Demetri. He stood tall and unmoving as a stone. "Alice is almost finished, baby."_

 _"Oooh, Alice bought something?" Jasper asked, his brows waggling._

 _"You'll find out soon enough, Mr. Impatient," Bella chided. She hugged Lauren. "Thank you for this. It was nice to have a girl's night in. And the advice … hmmmm … perfection."_

 _"You going to use some of it tonight?" she asked._

 _"I think I might," Bella purred, staring at me. When Alice came up, we all got into the SUV. I was curious what was going to happen with Jessica, but Bella's hungry gaze at me held my attention and that was all that mattered._

 _The drive home was too long. Alice and Jasper were flirting and Bella was just holding my hand, smiling softly and idly tracing the veins on my hand. Jake dropped off Alice and Jasper before pulling into our house. With a smile, he bid us goodnight. Bella went to the refrigerator and took out a bottle of water. I went to peak into the pink bag. Bella looked at me, her eyes fiery. "Mr. Cullen, you've been a naughty student. Passing notes in class. Cheating on a test and trying to catch a glimpse down a girl's blouse," she growled. "You have a detention, sir. Though, you're awfully dirty. You have ten minutes to shower and dress in the clothes I put out on your bed. Then, we will dispense your punishment."_

 _I blinked, shocked at her cold demeanor. But her eyes were twinkling with promise. With a crooked grin, I replied, "Yes, Miss Swan."_

 **BPOV**

Edward went up the stairs and I took a deep breath. Swiping the bag, I changed into my 'costume' in the bathroom on the main floor. It was a sexy teacher costume with a grey pencil skirt and black vest. Bree included white blouse, but I removed my bra and let my breasts free above the vest. I did, however, slide on the argyle knee socks and a pair of black shoes. Tousling my hair, I put on a pair of glasses and scurried up our bedroom.

I heard Edward in our shower. He smelled like beer and a touch of smoke from the ball park. It covered his usual masculine, clean scent. I picked out a pair of khaki pants, a white button down and a navy-blue sport coat, no boxers. I also put a pair of his own glasses onto the bed with a note, asking him to meet me in his office.

Down in his office, I pulled out my props. I had a vibrator, my cell phone and a scarf that I could use as either a blindfold or to restrain his arms. The water upstairs turned off and I took a breath, wrapping the scarf around my neck and hiding my bare breasts. I picked up a book, trying to read, but failed miserably. I was growing wetter and more aroused with each passing minute.

 _Deep breaths, Swan. Role play is fun. Sexy teacher and naughty student … what could be used as a punishment? The possibilities are endless._

I heard Edward move around upstairs. I steeled myself for sexual fun and got into character as the teacher, with Edward as my naughty, pervy student. His steps forced me to take another deep breath as the door to his office open. I turned so my back was to him, holding my book as a prop.

"Miss Swan?" he purred, his voice deep and smooth, like velvet. "I received your pass."

 _Oh, he's good._

"I'm glad you got it. I was afraid that you would have left after PE," I said, grimacing at my lame attempt to act. "How was the baseball game? Did you win?"

"Creamed them, Miss Swan," he chuckled. "They never stood a chance."

"Good, I'm glad, Mr. Cullen," I said, looking over my shoulder. I made sure the scarf still hid my goodies as I turned around. "Please, have a seat."

He sat down on one of the leather seats in front of his desk. I walked toward him, hopping up on the desk and crossing my leg, showing a fair bit of thigh and a bit of my bare bottom. "What's up, Miss Swan?"

"Mrs. Whitlock and Mr. Black were concerned, Mr. Cullen," I said, my face flushing. Edward eyes twinkled and his lips curled up into a coy grin. I put my hands on my lap, looking at him. He looked about ten years younger in the clothes I laid out and with his glasses. "Mr. Black said that you cheated on your history exam, passing notes back forth with your friend, Jasper. Then, Mrs. Whitlock said you were looking down, um, uh, Lauren's blouse. What do you have to say for yourself, sir?"

"I'm sorry, Miss Swan," he stammered, idly playing with his suit coat. "I had a late game last night and forgot to study for my test in history. Jasper gave me the notes. He's acing the class. I can't fail. I'd be ineligible to play baseball. We're good and have the possibility of going to state."

"And Lauren?" I pressed.

"I didn't look down her blouse. I swear!" he said, his eyes wide behind his glasses and his hands flying up, pleading his case. "I don't like Lauren. She reminds me too much of someone I used to know."

"An ex-girlfriend?" I smirked.

"Ewwww, no. My brother's ex-girlfriend. She was a total slut bag," he grimaced. "Besides, _blondes_ don't do it for me."

"Really?" I cooed, a sexy smile on my lips.

"Brunettes, do," he said, a sly grin spreading over his handsome face. "In fact, Miss Swan, you're kind of my dream girl."

"Kind of?" I teased, leaning back.

"Okay, not kind of. You are my dream girl," he growled. "But, please, I can't fail history. What can I do? I can retake the test."

"I think I can come up with another solution, Mr. Cullen," I said, rolling my shoulders and giving him a glimpse of my breasts. "Do you know how to please a woman?" He swallowed thickly while nodding slowly. "Would you like please me?"

"Yes, Miss Swan," he breathed.

"Hmmmm, good boy," I smirked. "Take off your clothes, Mr. Cullen. I want to see your body."

"Will I get to see you?" he asked, standing up and shirking off his jacket. "I've fantasized about seeing your …" He bit his lip, looking at my chest.

"My tits?" I asked.

"Yes," he whispered. "I have looked down _your_ blouse, Miss Swan. And your, um, tits are fucking amazing."

"Language, Mr. Cullen," I chided with a coy grin. "I don't want to add your punishment."

"What would that be?"

"Licking my pussy," I purred, uncrossing my legs and re-crossing them, doing a 'Sharon Stone' so he could see that I was bare underneath my skirt. His face flushed and sweat beaded on his forehead. "Ooooh, you like that, Mr. Cullen. Do you want to lick my pussy?"

"Yes, Miss Swan," he growled out, tearing his shirt apart and tossing it onto the floor into a heap of ripped fabric.

"All in good time, Mr. Cullen," I said, unraveling the scarf and revealing my bare breasts. His eyes were glued to my tits. In his khakis, there was a large bulge and I hummed in pleasure. "My, my, my, Mr. Cullen, you do like my breasts. Your cock is so hard, baby. Come here."

He walked over to me wearing a confident, cocky grin. I ran my hands along his ridged abdomen, feeling his muscles contract under my fingers. "It feels so good, Miss Swan," he whispered. His fingers twitched, clenching in and out of fists. I picked up his hand, placing his warm palm onto my breast. "Fuck."

"Describe what you're feeling, Edward," I cooed.

His fingers traced my breast, circling my nipple. His eyes were transfixed onto my chest, gently caressing and teasing the girls. "Your skin is impossibly soft, smooth," he said, reverence lacing his tone. "And your nipples … they're so hard."

"Squeeze them, Edward," I commanded, reaching for the waistband of his khakis. I ran my hand along the length of his hardness over his pants and he growled lowly, bucking into my touch. When I did that, his fingers twisted and pulled on my nipples, making me even wetter. I reached over, grabbing the small flip cam and turned it on.

"Miss Swan?" he asked, looking down at me. "Video?"

"I want to remember this, baby," I said, unbuttoning his fly. I grinned widely when I saw that he was commando. "You are a naughty boy, Mr. Cullen. No underwear?"

"No, Miss Swan," he hissed, palming my breasts. I slid the pants over his hips and wrapped my fingers around his massive cock, leaking and standing proud for me. "Shit, that feels so fucking good."

"Have you ever had a blowjob, Mr. Cullen?" I asked, blinking up at him and handing him the camera. He nodded, but shrugged a shoulder. "Was it a good blowjob?"

"No," he said. "It was … she used teeth."

"Teeth are good, but not biting," I explained, falling to my knees and tracing my finger along the underside of his shaft. He shuddered, the camera aimed at me. "Keep that camera on me as I lick, suck your cock." My tongue followed the same path as my finger and he whimpered. Wrapping my hand around the base of his arousal, I swirled my tongue around the head of his dick. I took as much of him into my mouth, bobbing my head along his length.

"Fuck, that looks so good," he ground out. "Your pretty pink lips around my cock."

"Hmmm, a dirty talker," I snickered, my hand pumping his arousal. "I think I like that, Mr. Cullen. Hearing you talk about how much you like my lips around you? It's making me wet."

"Will I get my taste?" he smirked, his finger tracing down my cheek.

"I hope so," I said, quirking a brow as I took him back in my mouth. I sucked my cheeks in, almost gagging at how deep Edward was inside my mouth. The hand that wasn't holding the camera was holding my hair into a messy ponytail. I rolled his balls with my hand and massaged my finger underneath his sack. He growled, his hips moving in concert with my head. I released him, kissing down his length and sucking his balls into my mouth.

"Fuck," he blurted. "Miss Swan … this is my dream come true. I want to come so bad."

"Do you trust me?" I asked. His eyes widened and he nodded fervently. "I'd never hurt you, Edward. I want to make you feel good." I teased the head of his cock, sliding my tongue through the slit at the tip of his hardness. The noises he made were so sexy, so feral, they made me completely drenched between my legs. The skirt was probably ruined, but I knew this would be a one-time deal with this costume. My nipples were like diamond points. I gently dragged my teeth along the underside of his shaft.

"Oh, GOD," Edward gasped. "Miss Swan … that's … it feels … don't stop!"

And I didn't stop. I kept my mouth on him until his cock swelled and his balls tightened against his body. Within seconds, my mouth was filled with his release. I swallowed the ribbons of cum easily, tasting him and moaning around his now deflating arousal. Releasing him, I sat back on my haunches and daintily wiped my mouth. Edward put down the camera and pulled me up, holding me to his body. "Mr. Cullen!" I gasped. He crashed his lips against mine and slid his tongue between my lips. He put me back on the desk, lifting the gray pencil skirt until my pussy was bared.

"My turn," he snarled, biting down on my lower lip.

 **EPOV**

"My turn," I choked out. Bella moaned against my mouth as I fell to my knees and spread her legs as far as they could go. I ran my tongue along her slit, growling against her pussy, which was soaked, and tasting her essence in my mouth. Her hands flew to my hair, tugging on the strands and holding my head in place. I circled her clit with my tongue. She whimpered, her shoes falling off her feet as she braced herself on the desk.

Her role play, with her being a stern teacher and me a student, was hotter than I'd ever anticipated. She teased, played with me and I fell into the role as the student, wanting to please his teacher. Our innocent flirtation was sexy, but left me wanting more.

And her outfit …

Fuck. Me.

It was a vest, with her tits full on display, with a tight gray pencil skirt and knee-high stockings. She was sexiness, innocence and everything amazing all wrapped into one naughty package.

I squeezed her breasts as I feasted on her delectable pussy, tasting every ounce of her arousal. She was moaning, loudly. Her hips were bucking as she pushed her crotch into my face. I gladly accepted it, devouring her. Bella reached next to her, grabbing something. I heard something click on and I pulled back, seeing a large vibrator in her hand. It was shaped like a dick, but hard and plastic. "Why do you need that?" I asked breaking character. Part of me was pissed off because Bella and I had a very healthy and voracious sex life. Why would she need a vibrator?

"Oh, you never know?" she sang, waving it in front of me. "Do you want to play?"

I took it from her and ran it along her folds. She gasped when I grazed her clit with it. "Hmmmm, this could be fun, Miss Swan," I purred. I held it to her sensitive nub as I slid my tongue inside her aching pussy. Her responding moan was so sexy, wanton and desperate. She fell back onto her elbows as I moved the vibrator from her clit and eased it inside her entrance. I hummed along with the vibrations, pumping the plastic toy in and out of her.

"Fuck, Edward," she grunted, pushing against the vibrator.

"Soon, baby," I cooed against her skin, nipping at the sensitive flesh of her inner thighs. I continued my assault on her sex, feeling her squirm and plead for more. The vibrator, while bringing my girl to the brink, was not enough for me. I turned it off, pushing two fingers inside her while I suckled on her clit. Her moans grew louder and her hips moved sinuously with each thrust inside. She was dripping, seeping onto my hands and down my arm. Her fingers tangled into my hair, tugging harshly on the strands as she whimpered, pleading for her release. I eagerly complied and within minutes, she was screaming and her body convulsed around my fingers, coating my tongue with her orgasm.

 _I will never get tired of seeing her squirt. That shit is fucking hot … and that she feels comfortable enough to share that with me? Hmmm … this woman is god damned perfection._

I kissed her sex and stood up, grateful that tasting her had revitalized my cock. It was hard, leaking and painful. I was desperate to be inside her. Not her mouth … her pussy. She sat up, tugging on my neck and crashing her lips against mine. I stepped forward, eagerly leaning into her hot mouth. She wrapped her legs around my waist. "Inside, baby. Now. I need you to fuck me," she growled.

"Yes, Miss Swan," I purred, lining up my leaking dick.

"Oh, Mr. Cullen, you are a naughty boy," she laughed and whimpered as I thrust inside, filling every inch of her. I looped one of her legs over my arm and I rolled my hips, feeling her sweet pussy. "Like that, Edward. So good."

"I can make it better," I purred, slipping out.

"No, don't … back inside," she whined.

"Show me your ass," I said. She smiled, sliding off the desk and arching her back. Her pale ass was on display and she wiggled it for me. I smacked it, lifting one of her legs. "Who's naughty now?"

"Fuck me, Edward," she pleaded. "Make me come."

I bent my knees, slamming into her. She fell forward, causing some of my shit to fall onto the floor from my desk. I didn't like this position because I couldn't kiss her, but she was so tight and watching my dick disappear into her pussy made up for it. Plus, I could hold onto her hips and smack her ass. I was shocked that she liked that. She would always come hard when I turned her behind pink with light swats.

I loved _making love_ with my fiancée. I loved having sex with her, too. But, this? Fucking? This was hot and it was amazing to be able to play with my girl this way. She was everything sinful, delectable and sexy, all wrapped up in one hot, fiery package.

"Edward," Bella moaned, looking back at me. "Harder, baby."

I nodded, pounding into her relentlessly. I slipped one hand around her slender waist and circled her clit with my fingers and twisted her nipples with my other hand. She squirmed, moving with me as I filled every inch of her. Her mouth was hanging open and her eyes were closed in pleasure. "Do you like it when I fuck you, Miss Swan? My cock driving deep into your tight, wet pussy?"

"Fuck, yes," she moaned, pushing up off the desk and staring back at me. "Your cock … it's so fucking big. Harder. Deeper." I kissed her neck and kept thrusting into her. She was so wet. Her arousal coated my erect dick and the sharp scent of our lust filled my office. I would be hard-pressed to not get aroused when walking into this room for a long time. "Edward … I'm so close."

"I can feel you, Miss Swan," I snarled. "Your pussy … it's clenching around me, _cara._ " She turned, smiling at me sexily. I couldn't help it. I still loved and respected her. I gently tugged on her hair and drew her to my chest. "I want you to come, baby. All over my cock."

"Yes, Edward," she whimpered. She picked up the vibrator, pressing it to her clit and she gasped. "Oh, FUCK!" Her pussy was squeezing the life out of me and with each heartbeat, pulsated around me. I sucked on her neck, twisting her nipple forcefully as my cock exploded within her, completely filling her with my cum. I kept thrusting until I deflated and fell out of her still quaking pussy. She fell forward, her breathing heavy as I watched my climax drip out of her. The selfish caveman was turned on by seeing my release drip from her pussy. I took my fingers, spreading it along her lower lips. She backed her ass against my hand. "I love when you touch me, Edward."

"Good thing I love touching you," I smiled. I kissed her shoulder and turned her around, appraising her trussed up outfit and glassy eyes. "You look ravishing, Miss Swan."

"I'm thoroughly ravished and completely fucked," she giggled. "Did you like?"

"I did," I said, sitting down on the leather chair and holding her in my lap. "I only wish my teachers looked like you."

"Hmmmm, well good to know that they didn't. Heaven forbid some cougar try to seduce you," she snorted. "Love you, Mobward. Thank you for being willing to play."

"Sexual play is quite, hmmmm, invigorating," I purred. "Now, as fun as it was to be the sexy teacher and naughty student, I want to make love to my fiancée, in the comforts of our bedroom. After a nap … I'm old, Isabella."

"No, you're not," she sang.

"I'm eleven years older than you. It was a freaking miracle I got it up again after getting the blowjob you gave me, _dolce_ ," I snorted as I stood up and pulled up my khakis, not bothering to button them. "Come on, my love. I want to worship you."

"Edward, you already do," she smiled, adjusting her clothes. I pulled her into my arms, kissing her deeply before picking her up and carrying to her bedroom, where I did, indeed worship her.

All. Night. Long.

 **BPOV**

"What's your plan for Edward's birthday?" Alice asked as she stocked the shelves in her basement clinic. "You know, his birthday is in like, four days, right?"

"Yes, I know," I answered. No, I really didn't. Edward said he didn't like celebrating his birthday. He never told me when he was born, the specific date. I only knew that he was eleven years older than me. "He doesn't want anything big, really. He said he wanted to just spend time at home. Just the two of us."

"You didn't know it was his birthday, did you?" she deadpanned.

"He was always so secretive about his birthday, Alice. So, no," I replied, sitting down on the examination table and idly playing with a loose string.

"It doesn't surprise me. His grandfather was murdered on his birthday," Alice said, shrugging a shoulder.

"Not exactly something you'd want to remember, Alice. Now, I don't blame him for being so secretive," I retorted wryly. "What do you suggest?"

"I think what you have planned sounds perfect," Alice answered. "He'll be quiet, sad. He's close with Carlisle, but he was even closer with his grandfather. There's a lot of Edward Sr. in your Edward."

"Okay," I nodded. "Do you think he'd like to visit his grandfather's grave?"

"He hasn't been in years," Alice murmured. "He's buried in Queen of Heaven Mausoleum. It's in Hillside."

"My dad is also buried there," I said. "In the newer complex, toward the back of the cemetery."

"Edward Sr. is in the main building right off Roosevelt Road," Alice said. "I'll find out exactly where and text you the information."

"Thanks, Alice," I said. "Have you heard anything about the office space in town?"

"It's mine, if I want it. But, for now, I'm focusing on getting this settled and picking up a few shifts at the local hospital," she answered. "Though, Edward and Carlisle are paying me better as a concierge doctor than any hospital I've ever worked in." She sat down, crossing her legs daintily. "But, I miss being in a hospital. I miss being in charge. The type-A control freak misses it."

"Could you go back to the hospital in the city?"

"Fuck. No," she snarled. "Too many awful memories. Felix was there. For that, I'm grateful, but the fact that Alec was lying in wait to …" She shook her head and got up, walking to her purse and popping a pill. One of her friends from the hospital had prescribed her a legal script of Ativan as opposed to my illegal distribution to her using a syringe. "Yeah, I'll just focus on this. I'm working on building up a staff of nurses and nurse practitioners. You want to go to school for that?"

"I get queasy at the sight of blood, Alice," I shuddered.

"Hmmm, damn it," she grumbled, but shooting me a smirk. "Now, have you thought about what to get Edward for his birthday?"

"I haven't the foggiest idea. Any clues?" I pouted.

"Did you use some of your goodies from your party?" Alice asked, waggling her brows.

"Oh, yeah. The sexy teacher costume didn't even last the night," I snorted, remembering our sexy times that started in his office, but ended in our bedroom. "And the vibrator also … yeah, we had a lot of fun with the stuff I bought from Bree. But I want to get something, I don't know, sentimental?"

"Matching tattoos?" Alice suggested. "Jasper and I got them after we got married. Plus, his ring is tattooed on my finger." She slipped off her eternity band, showing me an elegant tattoo around her ring finger. "All of the Cullen men have the crest tattooed on their body. Everyone except Edward. He was going to wait until he was sworn in as the leader."

"Do you know a tattoo artist?"

"We both do. Demetri is a certified tattoo artist. He did Edward's ink on his back," Alice said.

"Okay, a tattoo," I said. "Any other ideas?"

"Edward has always wanted a Tesla," Alice snickered.

"I'm a poor college student, Alice. Really?" I deadpanned. "And I'm not going to use Edward's credit card to buy him a car. That's just wrong."

"How about a new gun?" she asked. "A solid gold Desert Eagle, engraved with a mother of pearl inlay at the handle."

"That sounds kind of beautiful," I said.

"Come on. I know a guy," Alice said. She took my hand and called Jacob. He showed up and we drove to a very expensive-looking store in Wicker Park. To the layman, it was a weapons collector's dream, but apparently, he had more goodies in the back for the more discerning eye. Jacob followed us and Alice hugged a tall man with a bald head and dark eyes. However, he melted when he smiled. "Ricky," she sang.

"Hey, Little Ali," he beamed, his teeth blindingly white against his mocha skin. "You looking for your man?"

"Actually, my friend, Bella, is looking for something for Edward," Alice said. "Bella, this is Ricky. He personally supplies all of the guys with their untraceable weaponry. Ricky, this is Isabella Swan. She's Edward's fiancée."

"Shut the fuck up!" Ricky laughed, looking at me. "You laid claim on Cullen, the man who said he was NEVER going to get married? I bow to you, Miss Bella." He gallantly bent at his waist and kissed my hand. Standing back up, he smiled. "Now, what are you looking for?"

"A gun?" I shrugged. "I'm kind of clueless …"

Alice prattled on what she wanted and Ricky dragged us back to a secluded room. He pulled out several guns and even a few knives. I was afraid to touch anything. I kept my hands in tight fists, peering at the guns warily. "They aren't loaded, Miss Bella," Ricky snorted.

"I don't want to …" I trailed off. I blinked up to him, "Which one would you suggest? You seem to know what Edward likes."

"Well, I'll take this one off the table. He just picked up a similar weapon a few months ago," Ricky said, taking the largest gun off the counter. He put it back into the case. "This one is smaller, but packs a lot of fire power." He pushed a gold weapon toward me and it was beautiful.

"Can it be engraved?" I asked. Ricky nodded. I snickered. "You tell anyone, I'm certain Edward will shoot you with this very gun."

"What do you want to say?" Ricky asked.

"To my Mobward. All my love, Dolce," I smiled, blushing slightly.

"Done, Miss Bella," Ricky answered. "And it's important to be mindful of my client's privacy. No one will know."

"Excellent," I beamed. "How much?" Ricky waved his hand. "Really?"

"Edward keeps my shelves stocked with untraceable, but quality weapons for my clientele along with collector's items for my legit business," he said, smirking. "You're covered, Miss Bella."

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"I'm positive," he said, nodding his head. "You come by tomorrow and it'll be ready to go."

"Thank you, Ricky," I said, shaking his hand.

"My pleasure, Miss Bella," he replied.

We left the shop and Jacob suggested getting Edward some Cubs jersey. We went to a store in Wrigleyville. I found the jersey I wanted, along with several collectable pictures and a replica World Series ring. I cringed when I heard the total, but paid for it using my credit card. We left the store and Jacob stiffened. "What is it, Jake?" I asked. I followed his line of sight and saw Royce walking across the street, his hand cupped possessively around a blonde's neck. She turned, looking wary and her face covered with bruises. I recognized her immediately.

 _Rosalie …_

"We have to go," Alice hissed. She took out a small weapon from her purse and pushed me toward the car. We got inside and we watched with sick fascination as Royce pressed Rosalie against a brick wall and backhanded her. She didn't say anything. She just took it. "Jake, just drive."

"We should tell the Boss," he whispered.

"We will. When we get home," I answered. Jake turned over the car and we drove away. Alice and I kept our eyes on Royce until Jake turned the corner. "He can't hurt us."

"He could and probably did," Alice said, her eyes wide. She took out her phone, tapping on the screen. "I just texted Jasper." Her phone vibrated. "Jake, take us to the office."

"Got it, Alice," Jake nodded and he got onto Lake Shore Drive.

We arrived at the office a half hour later. Jasper was waiting for us outside. Jake dropped us off and we rode up the elevator to the top floor. Edward was inside and he pulled me into his arms. " _Mia cara,_ " he cooed, holding me to his chest. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. He didn't see us, but we saw him," I whispered, kissing his lips. "Rosalie was with him."

He clenched his jaw, holding me tightly before taking me and Alice into his office. He pressed a button and glass fogged up. Another button was pressed and the wall behind his desk opened. He gently guided me inside, where Carlisle, Emmett, Seth and Billy – on a teleconference screen – were located. Edward sat down to the right of Carlisle and pulled me into his lap. His hold on me was tight. Jasper was also extra clingy with Alice. Carlisle steepled his hands and blew out a breath. "Where did you see Royce?"

"We were doing some shopping in Wrigleyville," I answered. "Picking up a few things for, um, Edward's upcoming birthday."

Edward's arm slid around my belly and he nuzzled my hair. "You're all I want," he whispered against my skin.

"You have me, baby," I said, brushing his hair back. He kissed me quickly, giving me a strained crooked grin. "Why are you so afraid that we saw Royce?"

"He's been keeping a low profile," Billy said from the screen. "But, my sources have indicated that he is definitely working with Stephan."

"Who are these sources?" Jasper asked. "Do we have someone who's infiltrated Royce's ranks?"

"No. Someone has done so with Stephan," Billy answered. "Colin has reached out using a burn phone."

"Who's Colin?" Alice asked.

"One of Anthony's guys, his son took the incentive to join Stephan's new crew," Jasper replied. "Anthony told Edward about Colin when he was in New York while Bella was sick with pneumonia."

"Though, I never expected him to be do that," Carlisle muttered. "Stephan can be quite persuasive, when cornered."

"How did he get your number?" Edward asked. "Last I heard, he _chose_ to join Stephan's little revolt."

"He chose to try to end the revolt," Billy replied. "This kid, he may look like a dumb jock, but he's got some smarts. I met up with Colin at a secured location. He told me that Royce and Stephan are partners. Marcus Volturi is also involved, but the other two are keeping him at arm's length, not involving him in major decisions."

"What else did you hear?" Carlisle asked.

"Not much else since Colin was called away. He said he'd be in touch, but that was a couple of weeks ago," Billy shrugged.

"Back to my original question. Why are you so afraid that we saw Royce?" I pressed.

"The reason we're freaked out is because he's not afraid of being seen. He's determined to put us all out of our misery," Carlisle answered. "And the fact that Rosalie was with him … it's a huge snub in our faces. He's using Emmett's ex-wife as collateral even though we ... _disposed_ of her."

"In a way, it's good. We saw that she was alive," Alice said. "We feared that she was killed."

Emmett, who had been silent, was now fuming. "She made her bed. I don't care if Royce was fucking her in the middle of the street. She's his, god damnit!" he snapped.

"Emmett," Carlisle snarled. "Keep your temper contained."

"Whatever, Dad," Emmett sneered, shooting up from his seat. He pressed a button on the wall, slipping out of the room before the door even fully opened.

"His temper is going …" Carlisle grumbled, rubbing his face.

"He's entitled to be pissed, Dad. Rosalie burned him. She humiliated him in more ways than one and I'm upset for him, nor do I blame him," Edward said. "Regardless, he should know to keep his anger in check. But, it may be beneficial when we go into battle with Royce, Stephan and Marcus." He blinked to Billy. "How should we proceed? Should we be concerned?"

"Redouble your efforts with protection for the women," Billy said.

"Done," Jasper and Edward nodded. Carlisle nodded once, curtly, in agreement.

"But, other than that, keep doing what you're doing," Billy replied. "I'll call in some more guys to protect Carlisle, Edward and Emmett. They'll be more discreet, but you'll be covered."

"We just need to prepare," Carlisle sighed.

"For what?" I asked.

"War," Edward answered.

 **A/N: We had some citrusy times. Edward and Bella got their swerve on. Bum-chicka-wow-wow. We also prepared for Edward's birthday, which will be celebrated in the next chapter, but got some troubling news and a reappearance of Royce, _ugh._ Anyway, we're going to celebrate Edward's birthday and have Bella's bridal shower. Plus, we're getting closer to the climax. **

**Promise to stay with me, folks.**

 **Leave me some!**


	22. Chapter 22

**So, none of this is mine. I wrote the first chapter for a contest and now, I'm expanding it. What I own … a condo and too many books. What I don't … _Twilight_ and all its characters.**

 **We had some citrusy times. Edward and Bella got their swerve on. Bum-chicka-wow-wow. We also prepared for Edward's birthday, which will be celebrated in the next chapter, but got some troubling news and a reappearance of Royce, _ugh._ Anyway, we're going to celebrate Edward's birthday and have Bella's bridal shower. Plus, we're getting closer to the climax. **

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

 **EPOV**

I held Bella closely as we went to bed that night. The reappearance of Royce King and the information from Billy regarding Colin, his information about Stephan, Royce and Marcus's alliance, was incredibly troubling. War was coming. A massive war among rival families. Three families against one … Volturi, Romani and King all against the Cullens.

Who would come out victorious?

Who would pay the ultimate price?

 _Fuck me._

I buried my nose into Bella's hair, inhaling its soft strawberry vanilla fragrance. She sighed, twining her fingers with mine. "Love you, Mobward," she mumbled, almost incoherently.

"Love doesn't even come close," I whispered, tightening my hold around her body. She snuggled closer and slid her leg between mine. I cradled her to my body and tried to get some sleep, but it eluded me. I'd be worthless today at work, but at least I was able to get some questions answered with Billy and about Royce. Also, in some weird way, I was relieved that Rosalie was still alive. Those pictures, photo shopped to look like Bella, were of Rosalie and I was terrified that Royce had killed her. I hated her guts, but she was, at one point, a member of our family.

A hated member, but still a member.

When my alarm went at o'dark thirty, Bella groaned and tried to burrow deeper in our covers. I hit the snooze and held her close, reveling in the perfection that was Isabella Swan. I idly traced her back, looking down at her slumbering face. Her lips were pouted and her face was completely relaxed, content. However, when the alarm went off again, her nose wrinkled. "That's the worst sound. Ever."

"Sorry, _dolce_ ," I said, kissing her forehead. Her eyes blinked open and they were glazed over, unfocused from being disturbed. "Someone's grumpy."

"Someone hasn't slept, either," she chided, tracing dark circles under my eyes. "You are … you're going to worry yourself into an early grave, Edward. I kind of like having you around, bub. Don't go anywhere. I'm fine. Alice is fine. Jacob takes amazing care of us."

"I know he does, but I hate that it's been … that we're forced to have you under protective guard, twenty-four/seven," I grumbled. "It shouldn't be that way. As chauvinistic as it sounds, the world of the mafia is very … it's all about the men. Women are revered, protected and loved, not targeted."

"As you've said, numerous times," she said, sitting up and straddling my waist. She was wearing a button-down shirt, falling off her shoulder, revealing the swell of her breast. "This sucks. I get it. Royce, Stephan and Marcus? They're all fucktards. But, we can't let this force us how to live our life, Edward. You need to go to 'work,' taking over the city, one investment at a time."

"I know I want to make a deposit," I purred.

"Hmmm, what kind?" she asked, a sly grin spreading over her beautiful face.

"I think you know," I answered, unbuttoning the shirt and cupping her breasts. She kissed me hungrily while I tore her panties from her body and shimmied my boxer briefs over my hips. She sank over me, a choked whimper coming from her. Our bodies moved sinuously, sharing the love we had for each other. Her hands tangled in my hair as I whispered words of love, in Italian. She sobbed when her body reacted, clenching around me. "That's it, baby. You're so fucking beautiful when you come." Her orgasm triggered mine and I spilled my release deep within her. She slumped against me, her lower muscles still clinging around me. "I love you, Bella. You are … you're everything to me."

"I know," she said, kissing my neck. "As you are to me, baby." My alarm went off again and Bella scowled at it. "Seriously, that is the worst sound ever. Why do you have such an obnoxious alarm clock?"

"Because it's the only one that will wake me up," I snickered, sliding out of her and trying to hide my disappointment of our separation. We walked to the bathroom, taking a shared shower. Bella got dressed in a cute summer dress while I put on a suit. Bella went downstairs and made breakfast while I finished getting ready. Bella put an omelet and some bacon in front of me, along with a steaming cup of coffee. "What's the plan for you today, Bella?"

"Picking up your birthday present and planning your celebration," she answered, nibbling on a piece of bacon.

"No party, baby," I frowned. "I hate my birthday."

"No party. I promise. What I have in mind will be more intimate, Edward," she said, walking over to me and ruffling my hair. "It'll be just the two of us for a majority of the day, save for … well, Demetri's coming over to give us both a tattoo."

"Really?" I said, arching a brow.

"Alice told me that every man has the Cullen crest on their body, except for you," she blushed. "I wanted to … I don't know … be there when you get it?"

"Hmmmm, I love the idea, _dolce_ , but I want to hold off getting my crest tattoo. I think that's something that needs to be done when I'm instated as the leader of the Cullen family," I said. "But, you can get a tattoo … I'd love to see you get a tat. Something sexy, for my eyes only."

"And Demetri's because he needs to tattoo me," Bella quipped, smirking sassily. I growled, upset that one of our body guards would be seeing Bella's body. "Hey, no growling. How about this idea? I get the Cullen crest. On my ribs. It's still sexy and for your eyes only, but still okay for Demetri to touch without the risk of getting his 'nads shot off."

"That …" I trailed off, imagining my crest on her body. "That sounds pretty fucking perfect, Bella."

"Excellent, I'll make those arrangements, Mobward," she smiled, kissing me sweetly. "Now, go be all corporate, baby. Earn some millions."

"More like billions, _cara,_ " I smirked. "I love you."

"I love you so much, Edward," she beamed, pressing her lips to mine once again.

I grumbled, leaving her begrudgingly. I got into the car, driving to pick up Jasper and I drove to the city. He was quiet, but then again, he was usually quiet. But, he seemed unsettled. "Everything okay, Jasper?"

He didn't respond right away. "Alice and I tried to have sex last night," he answered, his voice tight and his hand clenched. "She froze up. Fell into a flashback. I wanted to call Bella, but Alice, who was barely cognizant, begged me not to."

"Was this the first time?" I asked.

Jasper nodded jerkily. "We'd made out and touched each other over our clothes, but never … it was the first time she saw my cock since her attack," he shuddered. "Seeing an erect penis made her panic and she was brought back to that moment. I was terrified she'd take a bite out of me, but instead she screamed and locked herself into the bathroom."

"Why did you try last night?" I pressed. "Was it because she saw Royce?"

"She asked for it. She wanted to be reassured, Edward," he choked out. "I wanted to give it to her, but instead, we spent most of the night screaming through a door. I'm fucking drained and …"

"I can drive you back home," I said.

"No. I need to work. I love Alice. Don't me wrong, but I need to be away from her for a few hours," Jasper said, scrubbing his face. "A triple shot of espresso would be fucking nice, though. Starbucks?"

"You got it," I smiled, squeezing his shoulder. "I'm sorry that …"

"Me, too," he whispered, his voice shattered. "I will always love Alice, but this sexual assault is wearing on _us._ "

"You're not thinking about …" I trailed off.

"No. I'm hers as she is mine, but she doesn't feel like that anymore with what happened to her. She feels dirty, used," he shrugged. "I think I need to talk to someone. Learn how to handle, how to better cope with Alice's recovery."

"I'm certain Bella would be willing," I suggested.

Jasper nodded, his eyes looking out the window. I stayed quiet and stopped at a drive-thru Starbucks, ordering us both some Venti cappuccinos. I felt for my best friend and capo. I prayed that his relationship with Alice would weather the storm of her attack, coming out on top, but from the shattered expression on his face, I feared for the worst.

 **BPOV**

Alice was a hot mess. I spent most of the morning calming her down after her unsuccessful attempt to be intimate with her husband. I told her that it would take time. She was frustrated and didn't want it to take time. She wanted to share her love with Jasper, but seeing his naked dick for the first time since her attack? She was … yeah, she had some rather unpleasant memories.

Once I got her calmed down, we went back to Ricky's shop to pick up my present to Edward for his birthday. Ricky gave me a beautiful ebony box with the gun inside. I thanked him and he grinned, saying that when I was ready for my first weapon, he'd more than happy to supply it for me. I thanked him, telling him that I was safely armed, but would take his offer under consideration.

We also drove over to Esme's to meet with Demetri. I told him what I wanted and how I wanted him to tattoo both of us, but Edward was insistent that he'd get his crest once he became the head of the family. Demetri wasn't surprised. Edward always believed that getting the crest was a badge of honor. Instead, we worked on the sketch for the more feminine version of the crest that would go on my ribs. It was bigger than the tattoo I had on my hip for my father. It would hurt like a son-of-a-bitch, but I wanted to do this. I was accepted and loved by this family. I'd gained another set of parents with Carlisle and Esme. I had an older brother in Emmett and a sister with Alice. My uncle was also a part of the family, too. I wanted to show them the respect and love they'd shared with me.

With a tattoo.

And it didn't bother me in the least that almost all of them were felons. They loved fiercely, were loyal, almost to a fault and they … they made me feel safe, protected and loved. Edward, especially.

"Bells, you're spacing out," Demetri chuckled, waving his hand in front of my face.

"Sorry," I said, shaking my head. "I'm just thinking about how much my life has changed since I first met Edward."

"The Cullen's are fucking awesome. They took a chance on me when most wouldn't," Demetri shrugged.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm just a few months younger than Edward and I was nothing more than a penny hustler, a common thug," he said. "I tried to pick Edward's pocket."

"I bet that didn't go over too well," I snickered.

"Not so much," Demetri said. "I was seventeen and Edward was walking with a couple of his friends. He answered his cell phone and I tried to steal from him. The next thing I knew? I was pressed against a brick wall with a gun to my head. The pick pocket was caught." He chuckled sadly. "I was just so hungry. I was homeless and I was trying to save up to get my next score. Edward, however, was impressed that I had almost managed to get his wallet. He took me to The Swan Dive."

"Really?" I asked.

"Yeah. They had the best food ever," Demetri beamed. "Your uncle is a fucking God in my opinion. I'd jump at the chance if he decided to reopen … but, from what I've heard, it's not happening. Anyway, Edward fed me, listening to my awful story. Mom was a junkie. Dad was in prison. I was the sole breadwinner for my family until my mother OD'ed. I was kicked out of my shithole apartment. I started to fall down the same path as both of my parents. Edward said he saw something in me. Something worth nurturing, at least in his eyes. Emmett wanted nothing to do with me and Carlisle was wary, not wanting to trust some street thug, a junkie with a bad habit in more ways than one. So, Edward put me into rehab and I worked for him. I started out as a thug, working on the streets. I sold guns and weaponry, making big sales and eventually worked my way up through the ranks, partnered with Felix. We protected Carlisle and Edward from a nasty attack with the Volturi about ten years ago. Edward was shot. Carlisle was almost killed, but Felix and I managed to stop it from happening, getting them out of there."

"What?" I squeaked. "I didn't see any scars!"

"His tattoo in between his shoulder blades," Demetri said. "I was working on getting my certification to be a tattoo artist. Once Edward's back was healed from his gunshot wound, he wanted me to cover up the scar with a tat. It was his way of acknowledging that I was a valued member of his family. Once I finished the tattoo, I was moved into the safe house on the Cullen property, sharing it with Felix. We were assigned to protect Carlisle and Esme and have been here ever since."

"How did Emmett take it?" I asked. "You said he wasn't a fan of yours."

"Once he saw that I was loyal to his family, we became fast friends. I consider him to be a brother, just like I think of Edward," Demetri answered.

"Don't you get lonely? I mean, you could have all that fun with Jessica," I snickered. Demetri gave me a harsh look, wrinkling his nose. "Oh, come on! She was all over you!"

"She was, but she's too young," he scoffed.

"She's older than me," I argued. "Late twenties, Demetri."

He gave me a face, his nose wrinkled. "And number two, I don't want to compromise my position with a meaningless relationship," he shrugged. "Jessica is not aware of Edward, Emmett or Carlisle do. She needs to remain in the dark. If I pursue a relationship with her, she would become _aware_ of the illegal dealings of the Cullen Consortium."

"Is what I have with Edward meaningless?" I pressed.

"No. I see how much he adores you, Bella," Demetri blushed. "I just … I don't know. Yes, I'm lonely, but I'm dedicated to my job. I don't want anything to happen to Carlisle, Esme, Edward, Emmett, you or anyone else in the family. I love you all."

"That I do get," I said, squeezing his forearm. "I don't want to lose this either. Since my dad died, I've felt like an orphan. Yes, I had Uncle Jimmy, but it's not the same as a family. But, don't close yourself off to the possibility, Demetri. You're a handsome man. And Jessica would love to …"

"Just no," Demetri growled. "She's attractive, but no. I can't … nope. Not going to do it. Back to your tattoo."

We spent another half hour perfecting the tattoo and I made arrangements for him to come over in the early afternoon the day of Edward's actual birthday. I wanted to bring him to the cemetery first, have him share his stories about his grandfather. Then, I'd get my tattoo, which would probably lead to smexy times and then I'd cook him dinner, presenting him with his various presents, including his gun and his Cubs gear.

I found Alice and she was talking to Esme. Jacob was eating something, watching over the two of them carefully, but concern swirling in his eyes for the shattered Alice.

"And Alice, don't hesitate to call me. I may not be your mother, but I love you like a daughter, sweetheart," Esme said, hugging her tightly. "You shouldn't have to go through this alone. Yes, Bella is helpful, but sometimes you just need a mother's touch or a mother's kind word, Alice."

"Thank you, Esme," she said, kissing her cheek. "You really did put everything into perspective. I know I'll probably never be able to give head again." Jacob spluttered, coughing loudly as he put down his lunch, his face flaming. I rubbed his back. "Sorry, Jake," Alice snickered, giving him a sheepish grin.

"You just say it so …" Jake hissed out. He blinked slowly and stalked out of the kitchen.

"Thanks, Alice. You scarred my bodyguard," I deadpanned.

"But, it's the truth," Alice said, shrugging slightly. "When I saw Jasper's schlong, I thought I was going to die and that it was covered in wicked barbs or something." She wrinkled her nose and shuddered. "I know it's all in my head. I know it's not real, but …" She sighed. "It'll be okay. In time."

"And please, call me, Alice," I said. "I'm still here for you, sweetie."

"Thanks," Alice whispered. "Now, let's get your plan finalized for Edward's birthday. T-minus two days, woman!"

 **EPOV**

I woke up the morning of my birthday. I wanted to just ignore the day. I usually did, especially after the brutal murder of my grandfather on the day of my birth, about fifteen years ago. In years past, I went to work, probably living at the office to avoid spending time with my family. They usually wanted to do some sort of birthday dinner, but this year? They had not bothered me with any plans. I was prepared to go to the office, like usual and just ignore the day.

 _Good plan. Let's go with that._

I sat up, scrubbing my face and looking over at Bella's side of the bed. She was not there. I looked toward the bathroom, but without my glasses, it was all a blur. I could see that the light was off and the door was open, but there were no sounds of a shower going or Bella's soft, sweet humming. Putting on my glasses, I got out of bed, curious as to where my fiancée was.

I just followed my nose.

I could smell the deliciousness in the kitchen. I floated down the stairs, seeing Bella at the stove, wearing a pair of my boxer shorts and a t-shirt, knotted at the hip. I slid behind her, my fingers caressing over her taut belly. "I missed my bed buddy," I purred against her neck, nibbling on her ear.

"I had to make you breakfast, baby," she said, flipping a pancake onto a plate. "It's a special day, Edward."

"Meh," I grunted, slipping my hand into her boxers and cupping her sex possessively and teasing her clit.

"Behave, Edward," she giggled, dancing out of my hold and whipping the spatula at my face, reminding me, scarily, of my Nonni. "You'll get naked fun time with me, but after breakfast. I slaved over this, bub."

"Bella," I whined.

"Dude, you're thirty-six. Act like it," Bella teased, reaching into the oven to pull out a plate of bacon. "Have a seat, baby. You get your birthday pancakes with my special bananas foster syrup." She handed me the plate and I trudged to the table, a bit miffed that she cock-blocked me. I may hate my birthday, but shouldn't a birthday boy get what he wants for his birthday? I wanted Bella's pussy and her screams of pleasure. _Is that too much to ask for?_ I sat down and she carried the platter with pancakes, and a warm bowl of the syrup. She scurried back to the kitchen, grabbing the coffee pot and sat down. With a flourish, she put a candle onto the pancakes. "Happy birthday, Edward." I wrinkled my nose. "I know that you usually pretend this day doesn't exist. I get it, baby. But, today should be a day of remembrance. To honor your grandfather and to celebrate _your_ life, Edward."

"So, I can't just hide at the office today?" I asked.

"Nope," Bella shook her head. "You're mine today and for the rest of the weekend, Mobward."

"Don't call me Mobward," I grumped.

"Okay, okay," she giggled. "Enjoy your breakfast."

"This looks delicious, _cara_ , but I'd rather feast on your pussy," I smirked.

"Later," she said, chiding me slightly. "I promise. I will not deny you your birthday sex. But, I seriously did put a lot of effort into this breakfast. I forgot how much work this syrup was. Yeesh."

"Can I drizzle it over your body?" I snickered.

"Oh, for fuck's sake," she laughed, wagging her finger at me. "Eat!"

"Okay, you reminded me of my Nonni. I'll just stop now because my hard-on went away," I shuddered. Bella just grinned wryly and dug into her breakfast, which was absolutely delicious. The syrup, that she slaved over, was probably the most decadent thing I'd ever tasted. I damn near licked the plate. When we were done, I helped her do the dishes. She argued, saying that birthday boys didn't need to do this, but she worked extra hard on this breakfast. It was the least I could do. " _Dolce,_ what are we doing today?"

"Well, we're going for a ride this morning," Bella said. I eyed her, confused as to where we were going. "Trust me, baby. Please?"

"Is Jacob coming with us? Jasper?" I asked. "With Royce and Stephan … I …"

"It's just us. I think we can handle ourselves," Bella argued.

"You better be armed, Isabella," I growled, cupping her face in my hands. "If something happened to you …"

"The same goes for you, Edward," she whispered, standing on her tiptoes and kissing me. "This whole thing with those two asshats … ugh, I want it over. It's fucking insane. Why not leave well enough alone?"

"It's all about power. Stephan and Royce, they don't feel like they have enough power, enough presence," I shrugged. "There was a point in time, not while I was alive, that my grandfather was just as ruthless as those two. But, he'd never stoop so far as to terrorize the women."

"Your grandfather had some integrity," Bella snorted. "But, we'll be okay today. I promise you."

"I'll take your word for it," I smiled, kissing her sweetly. "Because, I want to lose myself in you tonight, Isabella. That's all I want for my birthday."

"And that's something I can promise you," she purred, smacking my ass. "Now, go shower."

"Join me?" I pouted. "Conserve water?"

"Oooh, so eco-friendly, Mobward," she giggled. "Why didn't I think of that?"

 **BPOV**

Edward scowled as I drove his car. He didn't even know that I had my driver's license, but it was nice to get behind the wheel. Granted, it was in the armored SUV that felt more like a damned school bus, rather than his sporty little Aston Martin. I really wanted to drive that, but Edward was already on edge about not going out with Jacob or Jasper. So, despite the fact that we were both armed to the teeth, I had to drive the freaking banana boat. It reminded me of the old rusted red Chevy truck I had when I was in high school, but with actual get-up and go.

When I exited off the Eisenhower Expressway near Hillside, Edward stiffened. "Bella?" he choked out. "What are you doing?"

"This weekend is Father's Day, Edward," I explained, arching a brow. "I would like to visit my father. He's buried in the mausoleum at Queen of Heaven."

"Which one?" he hissed.

"The one in the back," I answered. "I wanted him to be in the gorgeous facility in the front, but it was all filled." He clenched his fists, making the bones appear white against the skin on his hands. "It won't be long, Edward. I just want to go up there, talk to him for a bit and …"

"Can I come with you?" he asked, his voice wary. He gave me a side-eye, his lips pursed.

"You don't believe me, do you?" I bit out, turning onto Wolf Road and making my way to the cemetery.

"Not really, no," he answered sullenly. "Is this just a ruse to get me to visit my grandfather's grave?"

"Maybe, but isn't it time for you to acknowledge his death?" I asked. "At first, I refused to visit Charlie's grave. It made it real, Edward. My dad, the man who loved me, who raised me, who was my biggest supporter and my rock, was buried in a fucking wall. I could never hear him sing again. I would never get his hugs, rare as they may be, which made them that much more special. I would never be able to tease him about his porn-stache. I'd never worry about him getting shot on the job as a police officer, a detective. He was gone. Cancer had decimated his body, making my once-vibrant father to wither away to a skeleton. So, I get it. But, now? Visiting him brings me peace, solace, comfort. I don't visit as often as I should and I wanted to introduce you, but this lack of trust your displaying …"

"Bella," he choked out. "I'm sorry."

"Yes, your grandfather was killed on your birthday. That sucks, but that doesn't make him the bad guy. It doesn't make _me_ the bad guy. What happened to him was awful! I get that! And not believing me? That's bullshit," I spat, turning into the cemetery and driving to the rear of the premises, trying to keep my emotions in check as I made my way toward the modern-looking mausoleum. I parked in front of the St. Joseph statue. I didn't wait for Edward. I got out of the car and stomped up to my father's location in the wall. I sat down on the ground, curling up underneath his grave and cried. I didn't hear Edward, as so much as feel him.

I looked up from my hands, seeing Edward sitting in front of me, his face tight and his eyes worried. "I'm sorry, _cara_ ," he murmured. "I'm an asshole."

"Yes, you are," I sneered. "Edward, I know that you're … that you …" I trailed off and curled up, hugging my knees.

"Bella, losing my grandfather was the most painful thing I'd ever experienced and I was shot," he sighed, tugging his hair.

"So was losing my father and having those wounds reopened every time my mother tried to contest my father's will," I whispered. "I get it, Edward. I do, but there's accepting it or ignoring it. What would your grandfather want you to do? Remember him or ignore him, forgetting he ever lived? He was obviously important, to you, to your family. You were named after him."

Edward frowned. "He was everything. He was the glue of our family until he was killed. My dad had big shoes to fill. He felt like he wasn't ready. There are times where he said he still feels ill-equipped to …" He looked at me and moved so he was sitting next to me. "I'm really sorry, Bella. I trust you with everything that I am. I love you so much and I never wanted you to think that I didn't love you, or that I didn't trust you."

"I get losing someone is painful. I know that. I live with it, every day," I sniffled. "But, I honor my dad by living the life he would have wanted for me. There is never I day that I don't miss him, don't love him."

"You're right," he whispered.

"Have you ever visited your grandfather?" I asked.

"Only the day of the funeral, almost twenty years ago," he answered. His eyes fluttered shut and he leaned his head back, pressing it against granite wall behind him. "Too long." His eyes opened and they were tortured, swirling with sadness. "Can we see him after you're done with visiting your father?" I moved over and sat in his lap, sliding my arms around his neck. I kissed him, still somewhat upset with his actions, but mollified that he admitted that he wanted to see his grandfather's grave. "I'm sorry, _mi amore._ I … I'll do anything to make it up to you."

"Can I get a few moments alone? I want to talk to my father," I said, kissing his cheek and getting up off his lap.

 **EPOV**

I left the mausoleum. I sat down in the car, my heart churning with guilt and sadness. Guilt, because I'd snapped at the woman who'd ensnared my heart, claiming me as her own. I loved her more than my own life and I'd hurt her with my unkind and unthinking words. The loss of my grandfather was a sore subject for me, but I never should have taken my anger out on Bella. So far, she'd made my birthday the best one I'd had in a long time and my big mouth and Italian temper took it out on her.

I was an asshole.

I made her cry.

I never wanted to make her cry. I only want to see her smile and make her happy.

Fifteen minutes later, Bella came back out. Her pale face was pink and her espresso-colored eyes were rimmed with red. She slid into the driver's seat, reaching into her purse and dabbing her face. She took a deep breath, shaky and sad. "I told him about you," she whispered. "I told him about our wedding and how happy you _usually_ make me."

"I'm sorry, _cara,_ " I said, reaching for her hand and twining our fingers together. "Please, I hope that you can forgive me."

"I already have, Mobward," she quipped, but her voice was still sad. "I understand your pain. I lost someone. You've lost someone. But, we need to rely on each other to help each other heal. My wounds are closer to scars, but yours are still open. Saying goodbye to your grandfather is the first step to allowing yourself to begin to heal. It's not your fault he's dead."

"I know it's not, but it is our life that caused his death. Our long-time rivalry with the Volturi that caused his death," I sighed. "It was the first time I questioned my legacy, my future."

"And now?"

"I question it daily. All this violence … is it worth it?" I shrugged. "Seeing you bruised and broken, a week after we'd had our first date. And then, seeing what Alec did to Alice? What's the point? But, then I think about walking away and how difficult it would be to stay safe. Regardless, the Cullen family has been … I can't walk away. I have too much at stake, too much to lose." I kissed her knuckles. "Mainly, you. I would do anything to protect you, _dolce."_

"I know, Edward," she said, leaning over and kissing my cheek. "You ready? To visit your grandfather?"

"My Papa," I said, reverence in my voice. She brushed my hair back and started the SUV, driving to the front of the cemetery. She parked the car near the entrance and I sat in the car, idly nibbling on my thumb nail.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Bella asked, pulling my hand from my mouth. She kissed my palm, looking at me tenderly. "Or do you want privacy?"

"Come with me?" I asked, a knot in my belly. Bella nodded. Locking up the car, we went inside and I shifted uncomfortably. "I don't remember …"

"I have the information," she said, taking my hand and guiding me to the stairs, walking up to the top level of the mausoleum. We wandered through the quiet hallways and into a small room. St. Michael was depicted on the stain glass window. She stopped in front of a grave, about four feet off the ground. "Here, Edward."

I stood behind her, looking at the grave. _Edward Anthony Michael Cullen ~ Husband, Father, Grandfather and Friend_ … I traced the years of his life, stopping at the year of his death. Nineteen years since he was murdered, callously and unjustly, by the Volturi. On my sixteenth birthday, my grandfather was cruelly taken too soon. "He would have loved you, Bella," I whispered. "He and I were very much alike."

"Handsome devils, with sharp green eyes and lethal with a gun?" she quipped, quietly and teasingly.

"Pretty much," I chuckled. "He was smart and resourceful. He adored my Nonni, his Elizabetta. He would have done anything for her. Just like I would do anything for you. She died shortly after he did." I looked down at the name beneath his. She'd barely lasted a year without him. She was consumed with grief. We all were, but she was alone and lost in the world. She succumbed to a broken heart. "My father claimed rite of vengeance and it was an all-out war. But, he ended it, swiftly and viciously. It left the Volturi fractured and wounded. Only now, almost twenty years later, are they even beginning to rebuild. It's not even rebuilding. They're partnered with Royce and Stephan, the Bratva and the bastard son of Edward Anthony Michael Cullen."

"Why would he cheat on his wife?" Bella asked, her nose wrinkled.

"It was before Nonni, before their wedding," I said. "It was while Papa was going through his wild phase. He met Nonni shortly afterward. When he found out about Stephan, he stepped up the plate, but his mother moved them away, presumably to America."

"Did Carlisle have that wild phase?" Bella snorted.

"All of the Cullen men have," I sighed, scrubbing my hand through my hair. "Emmett and myself included. In fact, I was still in my 'wild phase' when I met you, but you've changed me, Bella. For the better." I traced my Papa's name again. "He would have loved you, Bella." I pulled her into my arms and breathed in her subtle perfume.

"As much as you love me?" she asked, turning in my arms and kissing my lips.

"He would have flirted with you and tried to steal you away," I snickered.

"Well, he wouldn't be able to. I'm yours, Edward," she said, hugging me and stepping away. "I'll give you a few moments to speak to him. I love you."

I pressed my forehead to hers. "I love you more." I kissed her lips, holding her tightly. "Thank you for bringing me here. I'm sorry …"

"I know," she said. "I'll be waiting at the end of the hall."

"Good. I don't want you in the car by yourself," I said. She hugged me briefly, stepping out of the room and disappearing down the hall. I spoke quietly to my grandfather, telling him about my relationship with Bella, the drama with Royce and Stephan, and my plans for the future. Twenty minutes passed and I said my goodbye to my Papa and Nonni. With a tender kiss to my fingers, I pressed my palm to the freezing granite. "I miss you, Papa. I hope I make you proud."

"You made me proud," Bella said as she leaned casually just outside room. "Come on, baby. We have an appointment to keep. Demetri is at our house, setting up for me to get a tattoo."

 **BPOV**

Demetri took about three hours to complete my tattoo. When he was done, Edward paid him and practically drop kicked him out of our house, minus the table he'd used to tattoo me. Edward looked at me reverently as he made love to me on that table, his eyes glued to my side, which now had a beautiful rendering of the Cullen crest. He also took care of me, applying the ointment and covering it. He also gave me some pain killers for the soreness I'd undoubtedly feel once the endorphins wore off.

The rest of the weekend of his birthday was spent with me nursing my side. I did spoil Edward with his presents. He loved his new gun and he squealed like a fangirl when he saw the Cubs merchandise I'd bought him. He put the pictures into his office, hanging them in the small alcove where he had a couple of leather chairs. I know he wanted to make love to me on those chairs, but my ribcage was throbbing from the tattoo. I suggested that I give him a blowjob, but he just held me in his arms, nuzzling my neck.

After Edward's birthday weekend, time seemed to pick up speed. Before I knew it, I was getting dressed for my bridal shower. It was a couple of days after the Fourth of July. I was dressed in a beautiful white cocktail dress. My hair was curled and I was given some jewelry by Esme that matched my dress. Edward was attending the bridal shower, despite numerous protests by everyone that he couldn't come since the bridal shower was for the _bride_. Royce and Stephan were making their presence known, causing the men in the family to be on edge.

Stephan ran into Jasper while he was grocery shopping, almost two hours outside of the city. He made some cryptic comment to Jasper about Alice's attack. It took all of Jasper's control to not kill him in the middle of Whole Foods.

Royce had an appointment with one of the associates of Edward and Emmett's firm, looking to buy some property. Emmett walked in as the appointment ended, firmly stating that they would not take his account, much to the chagrin of the associate, who was looking forward to massive commission.

There had been an increase in murders in Edward's crew. Two of the lieutenants who worked in an offsite storage warehouse were found brutally killed. One had his tongue cut out. The other had his penis sliced off and stuffed down his throat.

So, Edward was quite protective and insistent on attending the bridal shower, even though it was going to be a hundred women, cackling and drinking some foofy, girly specialty drink. I suggested that Jacob come, but Edward was becoming more and more vigilant about my protection. He trusted Jake, but unless he saw me, Edward was a panicky mess, which made him a bit of a liability. Suffice it to say, after a massive fight with Esme and Alice, they finally relented in his attendance, along with Jake, Jasper and Garrett around the elite restaurant we'd rented out for the occasion. Emmett wanted to come, hang out at the bar, but Esme drew a line in the sand. Emmett and Carlisle would be at the office, a few moments away.

"Bella, are you ready?" Esme asked through the door. "It's almost time to go."

"Just about," I said, applying some lip gloss. I slid my feet into the nude heels and teetered to the door. I opened it up and saw Edward and Esme. Edward was wearing a slate grey suit, with a white shirt and a red paisley tie. Esme was wearing a red shift dress. "Wow! You both look great!"

"Not as gorgeous as you," Edward smiled, picking up my hand and kissing my knuckles below my engagement ring. "Love you, _cara._ "

"Love you more and thank you," I whispered. He twined our fingers together and led me downstairs. Outside, there was a limousine. "Wow … a limo?"

"It's protected. Bullet-proof," Edward muttered. "Nothing but the absolute safety for my fiancée, my family."

"I think you're overreacting," Esme tutted.

"I disagree," Carlisle said, walking into the foyer. "Esme, I've kept you in the dark, but things have been escalating."

"How so?" Esme asked, her voice small and quaking.

"I'll tell you more upon your return, but Edward is right in providing all of the extra protection," Carlisle said. He hugged me, kissing my cheek. "Have fun today. Don't let the worries of our impending war worry you."

"When you put it that way," I deadpanned. Carlisle snorted, putting my hand on Edward's elbow. Edward gently squeezed my hand and led us outside. We drove to the restaurant. Jacob was in the front seat, driving the limo. We walked inside and I was shocked at the amount of people in the room. Most of them, I did not know, save for the people who were at my bachelorette party. Esme dragged me table to table, introducing me to the various women at each of them. Most of them were close friends of the family. I greeted them graciously, thanking them for coming. After the introductions, I sat down at the head table with my bridesmaids. Edward was seated next to me.

I'd never been to a bridal shower. I didn't know what to expect. I knew there'd be food and presents. I was _shocked_ at the number of presents. Almost four full tables were piled high with gifts. On top of the presents, there were games and laughter. The games were completely random, based on how well Edward and I knew each other, how we met and just random oddities about our lives together. After the games, I spent the next few hours opening presents, with Edward's help. Alice, my matron of honor, wrote down who gave what. I was humbled by the extravagant gifts we'd received. As we opened presents, Edward was growing agitated.

"Everything okay?" I asked. He pursed his lips, shaking his head curtly. "What is it?"

"I can't say," he answered. "But, I may have to leave." He gave me a sad look. "Jacob and Garrett will drive you back to Mom's house."

"Edward, it's your bridal shower. You wanted to be here," Esme chided.

"I still do, but I have to leave once everyone leaves," Edward growled, his eyes green fire as he glowered at his mother. Esme backed down, her eyes wide and her hands moving shakily as she handed me the next gift. We finished with the presents. Edward looked pleasant enough as he thanked everyone. I parroted his appreciation. He kissed me tenderly and picked up a few boxes, leaving with Jasper. Alice stood next to me, her arm wrapped around my waist.

"Do you know what's happening?" I asked.

"Yeah," she muttered. "I need to prepare the OR in my basement."

"What happened?" I breathed.

"There's been an attack. Demetri and Felix were caught in a fire fight," Alice said sadly.

"No …" I cried. "Did they make it?"

"Only one did. I don't know who," she frowned. She hugged me. "As soon as I do, I'll let you know. Love you, Bells."

"Love you, too," I sniffled. "Be safe, Alice and …"

"I know," she nodded, turning on her heel and leaving as well. This needed to end. Soon. My family can't take much more of this. I can't take much more of this. If anything happened to Edward …

I don't know what I'd do.

 **A/N: Cliffie … sorry. Not sorry. *Snorts* Anyway, we had Edward's birthday, got to know Demetri and had Bella and Edward's wedding shower. Next up, we'll find out what happened with the 'fire fight'. Leave me some loving. I also to promise to pick up the regular updating schedule when my own schedule calms down. However, RL is being quite a bear, lately. I need more hours in the day or a long vacation …**

 **Whichever comes first.**

 **Thanks for reading! :-)**


	23. Chapter 23

**So, none of this is mine. I wrote the first chapter for a contest and now, I'm expanding it. What I own … a condo and too many books. What I don't … _Twilight_ and all its characters.**

 **Cliffie … sorry. Not sorry. *Snorts* Anyway, we had Edward's birthday, got to know Demetri and had Bella and Edward's wedding shower. Next up, we'll find out what happened with the 'fire fight'.**

 **Chapter Twenty-Three**

 **EPOV**

We drove through the city, to a warehouse just outside of the city limits. Demetri and Felix were heading up a delivery of some new weaponry and technology. However, there was an ambush. At least, that's what Seth said as he drove to the warehouse. So, I was on my way to the scene of the crime, praying there were some of Royce and Stephan's men who I could torture to get information.

This war between us had to fucking stop.

I don't think that my sanity could take it anymore. I feared for my fiancée's safety.

Nothing could happen to her. I refused to let anything happen to her or to anyone else in my family.

"Boss, here's your weaponry," Jasper said, handing me my gun and knife. I removed my suit coat and tugged off my tie. I checked the safeties of the gun and slid a clip into my pocket. "Are we going in guns blazing?"

"We need to be smart, Jasper," I growled. "It's a bright, sunny day. We can't go in with guns blazing. If things are as bad Seth said, the place may be already crawling with cops. We can't … I refuse to be arrested."

"Me, too. Alice would kick my ass," Jasper chortled. I smirked, shooting him a look. "It's true. The last time I was arrested? Alice said she'd refuse to pay my bail!"

"You were arrested for indecent exposure, Jasper," I retorted, giving him a wry smile. " _And_ drunk and disorderly conduct. I understand your need to blend in while you were undercover, but really?"

"I was an idiot. I know," Jasper sighed. "I learned my lesson. If we get arrested now, though? It won't be for running around naked, drunk and disorderly. It could be a lot more serious. We really could … murder, illegal weapon sales … the list goes on, Edward."

"I know, I know," I murmured.

"Boss, we're here," Jacob said. "No police presence."

"Good," I nodded, releasing the safety to my weapon. We got out of the SUV, which was parked behind the large warehouse. I put on a bulletproof vest and made my way inside, Jasper and Jacob on my flanks. Inside the warehouse, we ran into Seth. He was crouched next to a fallen man. I didn't recognize him. "Who is this?"

"One of Royce's men," Seth whispered. "There are fourteen other men that were killed, scattered inside. There's one man still alive."

"And our men?" I asked.

"We lost ten," Seth hissed. "The two that are still alive are upstairs, holding the remaining attacker at bay. He's of a great deal of importance, it would seem."

I nodded, making my way through the warehouse. I saw the carnage of the attack. Men who trusted me, who followed me, were slaughtered by my enemy. Blood stained the floors. Eyes were caught in a death stare, looking at nothing. When I reached the stairs to the second level, I saw a familiar face. "No …" I gasped, crouching down in front of the crumpled, bloody body. "Demetri …"

The man I'd recruited, after he'd stolen from me only because he was starving, lay on the floor. His body was littered with bullet holes and he was pale, unmoving. I said a prayer, closing his eyes and biting back tears. _Be strong, Cullen._ "I'm sorry, my friend. I didn't protect you. You … I'm …"

"Boss, I know it's sad, but we have to go. Seth said that there's chatter on the police channels about what happened here," Jasper hissed.

"Take him," I choked out. "We can't let him be found by the police."

"Understood, Boss," Jasper said. He looked at Jake. He nodded, bending down and picked up the broken Demetri, tossing him over his shoulder and carrying him out of the warehouse. I stood back up, my heart shattered at such a loss with Demetri. I gulped heavily, stomping up the stairs. Inside one of the larger rooms, I saw Felix holding a rifle. It was aimed at a Volturi. He was bleeding from a wound on his shoulder and another in his thigh. If I wasn't mistaken, it was Marcus's youngest son, Matteo. The boy looked no older than eighteen, but snarling angrily at Felix. "Matteo got caught?"

"Fuck you," squeaked the boy. "This is my rite of vengeance."

"For what?" I growled. "What happened to you?"

"Your father killed my grandfather," he spat.

"Then, your beef is with my father," I said calmly. "Now, you were pretty successful in killing a lot of men, but you lost a great deal along with that victory. Nor are you going to stop us from delivering our shipment, you idiot." I turned to Felix, who looked so shattered. "Do you want to kill him?"

"So much," Felix whispered.

"We can't. Not yet," I said. "We need to interrogate him. Not here, though. There's been enough death and destruction here. Plus, we can prolong our interrogation if it's done elsewhere." I blinked at the other man. "What's your name?"

"Liam, Mr. Cullen," he answered, his voice deep and with a subtle Irish brogue.

"Do you have a car here, Liam?" I asked.

"I rode with Felix and D-D-Demetri," Liam stuttered.

"Felix, give Liam the keys," I ordered.

"Boss, we should fucking kill this animal," Felix growled, his dark eyes narrowing at the scrawny kid on the dirty floor. He tightened his hold on the rifle. "He was the one who shot Demetri. He should _pay_ for what he did." He released the safeties, leveling the rifle at Matteo.

"And he will, brother," I said. "I promise. He'll suffer for what he did to Demetri." Felix had tears streaming down his cheeks. "Stand down, Felix. Give Liam the keys."

"Boss," he hissed. "I claim the rite of vengeance!"

"You'll get it, after we interrogate him. Please, Felix," I murmured calmly. With a roar, Felix pulled down the rifle and tossed the car keys to Liam. Liam quickly caught them and with Jasper's help, Matteo was cuffed and blindfolded. "Do you know where the safe house is in Joliet, Liam?"

"Yes, Boss," Liam nodded.

"Go there. We'll meet you there tomorrow," I said. "Use whatever force necessary to keep Matteo subdued, but he is not to be killed until we've had the opportunity to interrogate him."

"Understood, Boss," Liam said. Jasper helped him with the squirming, belligerent boy who had killed one of my best men.

When Matteo was gone, Felix faltered and I was there to catch him. I held him up. "I've got you, brother."

"Demetri was my brother," Felix whimpered. "And he's gone, Boss."

"Come on, Felix," I said. "Let me help you. Alice is going to fix you right up." We made our down the stairs. With a groan, I helped Felix into the backseat of the SUV. I saw another car drive away, heading toward I-55. Jacob and Jasper got into the SUV. Felix curled up, tears streaking down his face. I looked at Jasper. "Where's Demetri?"

"In the back. His body is covered and he'll get the proper burial he deserves," Jasper said quietly.

"Thank you," Felix whispered, his voice fading and his eyes drooping. I squeezed his shoulder. His snores filled the car. He was weak and bleeding. We made our way back to Alice and Jasper's home. We were parked in the garage. Felix was out cold. Carefully, we carried him into the complete medical clinic in the basement of their house. Alice was waiting with Emily, Garrett's girlfriend. Felix was put onto a gurney, where Alice and Emily dragged him into the surgical suite to repair his injuries.

"Where's Bella?" I asked.

"At your parents' place," Jasper responded. "Emmett drove them all back with Garrett and Carlisle."

"And what about the presents from the bridal shower?" I questioned. "We were supposed to …"

"Emmett arranged for a truck. They're being loaded up and will be delivered tomorrow," Jasper answered, looking at his phone. "Why don't you go to your parents' place? Check on your girl. Tomorrow … we have to …"

"Right, I know. But, I wanted Felix to be involved with the interrogation. I don't want to deny him the rite of vengeance for what Matteo did to Demetri," I said. "I don't know if he'll be ready to go tomorrow."

"I'll call Liam and send back up," Jasper said. "Go to Bella."

"I'll drive you, Boss," Jacob answered. "But, you may want to change. You're covered in blood." I looked down and saw my entire right side was covered in Felix's blood.

"Thanks, Jake," I said. We got into the car, driving us back to my house. I quickly showered, tossing my clothes into a plastic bag to be destroyed. Jake had also changed, taking the bag from me and putting his own suit inside. "I loved that suit. I wore it when I met Bella."

"Sorry, Boss," Jake frowned. "Speaking of Bella, she's been blowing up my phone."

"Okay, let's go," I said. I picked up the small bag I'd packed since we were spending the night at my parents' home. Jake drove us to there. I was barely out of the car when my fiancée ran into my arms, her body wrapped around mine. "My Bella …" I breathed.

 **BPOV**

I jumped into Edward's arms. I wrapped my body around his and cried. He was alive, okay and holding me in his arms. His hair was wet and he smelled like his cologne, but I could feel the tension in his body. He clung to me, falling to the ground and cradling my head with one of his hands. He pulled back, crashing his lips against mine. I sobbed, tears streaming down my cheeks. I was overjoyed that he was okay, but I knew something was wrong.

Very, very wrong.

"Edward, come inside," Carlisle said quietly.

Edward pulled his mouth away from me, wiping my tears away tenderly with his fingers. "I'm okay, _cara,_ " he said, standing up and carrying me inside. He didn't say anything, but he bypassed his parents and made his way up to his bedroom. Kicking the door shut, he flicked it locked and carried me to his bed. My white dress was torn from my body along with his shirt and he kissed me deeply. I reached for his jeans, fumbling open his fly. Working together, my underwear joined my dress, as did his jeans and boxer briefs. He looked at me, his green eyes impossibly sad as he sheathed himself inside my body. I gasped. "I love you, Bella."

"I love you more," I whispered, hitching my legs around his hips. He began thrusting, each stroke filling me to the brink. His mouth moved feverishly over mine, claiming me. I tugged at his damp hair, feeling the burning of my orgasm beginning to bubble over. "Edward, love … I'm …"

"I know, baby," he said, reaching between us and circling my clit. "Come with me, my love." His commanding tone and his forceful thrusts made my muscles clench. I gasped when orgasm hit me like a ton of bricks, shattering me. Edward growled as his own orgasm ripped through him. His thrusts slowed. He kissed me, holding me like I was the most cherished thing in the world. When he slipped out of me, he rolled onto his side and pulled me to his chest, his body shaking. "We lost some good men, Bella." He kissed my forehead. "I … tonight … it was a mess."

"Who, baby?"

"No one you really know, with the exception of one," he whispered. "A majority of the casualties were people you wouldn't have interacted with, love. Felix and Demetri were overseeing the work."

"What were they doing?" I asked.

"Unloading a new shipment of guns, technology and such," he answered, holding me closer. "It was supposed to be delivered later on the week, but I got the phone call last night that it was arriving today. With the bridal shower, I couldn't be there. Emmett wanted to be close by to us, in case Marcus, Royce or Stephan decided to act against us, by attacking you. Instead, he attacked Felix and Demetri."

"How many men died?"

"There were twelve men at the warehouse. Eleven were killed, plus three of the crew that attacked the warehouse. Felix … he's the only survivor from my men," Edward choked out. I sat up, my eyes wide. He sat up with me, taking my hands.

"Demetri?" I squeaked. "He's …"

"Yes, love," Edward cried, his green eyes swirling with sadness and agony.

"But, he was fine," I said, standing up and pulling on Edward's t-shirt. I began frenetically pacing. "He was fine. He tattooed me. He was fine. He was going to tattoo you."

Edward stood up, taking me into his arms. "He's gone," he said, his own voice breaking.

"No," I cried, clinging to him. We fell to the ground and he rocked me gently. I sobbed for the loss of a friend and protector. We stayed that way until there was a quiet knock at the door. Edward looked down, realizing he was still naked. We got up. I slipped into the bathroom to clean up and change into some actual clothes while Edward, after he'd dressed, opened the door. I heard Carlisle's voice. I couldn't understand what was said, but I knew it wasn't good. I finished dressing and saw Carlisle. His face was drawn, sad. "I'm sorry, Carlisle."

"Thank you, Bella," he nodded. "Demetri was a valued member of our family, of our organization. His loss will be …"

"We were just discussing his funeral preparations," Edward said. "We have a local funeral home who handles our dead. However, Dad said that Demetri didn't want a funeral. He just wanted to be cremated and forgotten."

"But, he can't be forgotten," I argued. "I get his desires about being cremated, but he was loved, respected and an important member in your family."

"We could honor his request about being cremated, but have a memorial service?" Edward suggested.

"Who told you about his wish to be cremated and forgotten?" I asked.

"It was in his will. He had it up-to-date in his room in the guest house," Carlisle answered. He handed me the will, reading his wishes. "We could ask Felix."

"I think we should do that," Edward nodded. "Felix was closest to Demetri, other than me or Emmett."

"Do you believe that he'd want to be cremated and forgotten?" I pressed.

"I don't," Edward said. "But, I'll still hold off and ask Felix. Is he out of surgery?"

"Not yet," Carlisle answered. "I did want to tell you that the police arrived at the warehouse shortly after you left. Claire led the officers. It was designated a gang shoot-out."

"Were we implicated?" Edward asked.

"No. None of the guys were truly connected to us. Marcus Volturi, however, was listed as a possible instigator," Carlisle said. "A gun registered to Volturi was found in the warehouse."

"And the shipment?" Edward asked.

"It was lost, but again, Marcus is the prime suspect," Carlisle smirked. "Now, would you like to join us for dinner?"

"I'm honestly not hungry," Edward answered.

"Me, neither, but thank you for the offer, Carlisle," I said.

"Okay," Carlisle smiled, but it was tinged with regret. "Tomorrow, please stay. Jimmy is coming over with Sue and Leah."

"I have to …" Edward trailed off.

"We'll speak later, Edward," Carlisle pressed. "Okay?"

"Of course, Dad," Edward nodded. "Now, if you don't mind, I … we'd like to …" Carlisle smiled and hugged both of us before leaving the bedroom. Edward turned to me, cupping my cheek. "Come, my love. Today has been an emotional roller coaster. I want to hold you, make love to you and just …"

"I'm with you," I murmured, kissing him and dragging him back to the bed.

 **EPOV**

The next morning, I woke up to my cell phone ringing. I turned off the ringer and answered it, slipping out of the bed. "Cullen," I whispered, sneaking out into the living area of my room.

"Boss, it's Liam."

"Is everything okay?" I asked.

"Everything's fine," Liam answered. "We're here at the safe house in Joliet. Matteo is currently being held in the basement. We're waiting for you, Boss."

"You need to wait for Felix. He's claiming the rite of vengeance on behalf of Demetri," I replied. "It may be a few days before Felix will be able to make his appearance."

"Understood, Boss," Liam said. "Will I get some relief?"

"I'll send down Jacob or Seth. Thank you, Liam. You've proven yourself to be a worthy member of our crew, our family," I said.

"Thank you, Boss," he said quietly. "I just wish that Demetri was still here. He was a close friend."

"He was and he will be missed," I sighed. "Now, I'm going to call Jacob and Seth to see if they could come down to assist you, Liam. I'll send you a text with further information."

"Understood, Boss. I'll keep this loser alive so Felix can enact his revenge and we can interrogate his bony ass," Liam snorted. With a few other comments, we ended our conversation. I conferenced Jake and Seth, telling them about Liam's request. Both men vowed to assist and would be on the road within the hour. I slipped back into the bedroom and curled my body around Bella's sleeping form. I woke her slowly, teasing her naked body. I gave her a sleepy orgasm with my fingers before I slid inside her from behind. Our lovemaking was reverential and poignant. I could lose this at a moment's notice and I refused to lose her, lose this.

After another round of lovemaking in the shower, we went downstairs. Leah, Sue, Jimmy, and Jasper were in the kitchen along with the kitchen staff that my mom employed when she didn't want to cook. Bella ran to Jimmy, hugging him tightly. I poured myself a cup of coffee, arching a brow at Jasper. He walked over to me. "Is Felix out of surgery?" I asked.

"He is and he's being monitored by Alice and her staff," Jasper answered. "The damage to his leg was mainly muscular, but easily fixed. His arm, however, was more damaged."

"Is he resting?" I asked.

"Still sedated," Jasper replied. "Alice will probably wake him up by the end of the day. I don't know if he'll be able to fulfill his rite of vengeance."

"We'll bring him to the safe house and if we have to, we'll complete his rite of vengeance for him," I snarled. "He'll be the puppet master, pulling the strings, and destroying Matteo in the process."

"And gathering important intel," Jasper nodded.

"Boys, stop talking shop," Esme chided. "Come say hello to Jimmy, Sue and Leah."

We hugged and greeted our friends, family. I hadn't had a chance to talk to Sue or Leah while at the bridal shower. I listened to Leah prattle about how she was going wear a princess dress, looking pretty. I beamed happily, telling her that she was already pretty. Sue kissed my cheek, pleased at how much I was willing to talk with Leah. Most people avoided her since she was developmentally delayed. I refused to isolate her. Yes, her mind was that of a five-year-old and her speech was difficult to understand, but she was still a person and deserved love, respect and happiness.

A couple of hours later, Bella and I drove back to our house, with Jasper in tow. Dropping him off at his house, I drove Bella back to our home. Emmett was there, along with Garrett, unloading the truck with our bridal shower presents. "I can't believe the generosity of your friends and family, Edward," Bella said. "And thanks, Emmett, Garrett, for helping us with unloading the truck."

"No big deal, Miss Bella," Garrett said, smiling boyishly. "I'm glad I could help."

"When you're done here, could you go down to the safe house in Joliet?" I asked.

"He can't, Edward," Emmett replied. "Garrett and Emily have to go to the city. She's on duty at Chicago Med and he's going to check on the shipment that was lost in the situation yesterday." Emmett blinked over to me. "I'm going with him."

"Who authorized this?" I asked, kissing Bella's temple. She squeezed my hand, disappearing in the house while I had this conversation with my brother. "I didn't. Did Dad?"

"I wanted to …" Emmett said, puffing out his chest. "You, Jasper, Jacob and Felix … you took control of the situation. I want to step up and rectify the problem."

"Emmett, I appreciate your willingness to solve the problem, but those guns, the technology … it's gone. It's a loss in the books, but we have bigger fish to fry. Felix needs to heal, physically and emotionally, and we need to mourn the loss of Demetri. We need to interrogate Matteo, find out who authorized his attack on our property," I said. "Was he working under Marcus' control? Or did he go rogue?"

"You're right," Emmett whispered. "This is why you're going to be the leader of our family. You can look at the situation, see the big picture." He scowled. "I hate you sometimes, Eddie."

"Thanks, Emmie," I deadpanned. "The feeling is mutual at times, little brother." Emmett snorted, smacking my shoulder. "Now, let's get this shit unloaded. I'm grateful for everyone's presents, but this truck is an eyesore." Emmett nodded and we continued unloading the truck, emptying it completely in an hour. Emmett and Garrett left with the truck while Bella and I worked on putting the gifts into our house. When that was done, we began working on writing out thank you cards. We were about a third of the way through our cards, when my cell phone went off. "Cullen."

"Edward, it's Alice," she said. "Felix is awake and is asking for you."

"Okay," I replied. "How is he?"

"Incredibly sad, broken up about the loss of Demetri. Bring Bella with you?" she asked.

"Understood. We're on our way," I said, hanging up the phone and looking at my fiancée. "You ready to act like a psychologist, _dolce_?" I asked.

"Felix is awake?" she responded. I nodded. "He's going to be heartbroken, baby. I'm worried. Hell, I'm worried, too. Demetri was a good friend and I can't believe he's gone, Edward."

"Me, neither," I frowned, taking Bella into my arms. I kissed her tenderly, our lips moving sinuously together. "I love you, _cara._ "

"I love you more," she whispered against my mouth.

 **BPOV**

By the time we got back to the house, the sun was rising. Felix was in agony, both physically and emotionally, from the shooting and from the loss of his best friend, roommate and brother from another mother. Plus, his injuries were preventing him from enacting upon his God-given rite of vengeance toward the animal who had murdered Demetri. He was too weak to end Matteo's life, with the damage to his arm from the bullet that shattered his upper arm, tearing through his bicep.

I was sent out of the room, just prior to our departure. I don't know what was said, but Edward had this fierce look on his face. When I asked him what was happening, he just ignored me and kissing me. My guess he was keeping me in the dark for a reason. I think it was Emmett that said that it was 'plausible deniability'. Or was it Esme? I don't remember, but I was being kept in the dark for a reason.

I crashed when we got back to the house. Edward didn't have that luxury. He had to go to work and he said that he wasn't going to be home until tomorrow evening. I didn't ask why. I just kissed him, told him I loved him and that wished him a safe return. He held me tightly before hopping into a Volvo with Jasper and leaving the house. I woke up a little after noon. I called Alice and we worked on finishing the thank you cards for the shower gifts. We also worked on the seating chart for the wedding.

As we were working, Alice answered her cell phone. "Dr. Whitlock," she chirped. "Yes, I signed the death certificate for Demetri Mancuso."

"What is it?" I hissed. Alice held up a finger.

"He was killed in a drive-by shooting, officer," Alice said. "My apologies, Detective Maas. He was brought in to my clinic where I pronounced him dead on arrival." She pinched her nose and growled. "Look, detective, the case is being covered by Detective Claire Tyrese. She was made aware of the situation. She was at the scene of the crime, a warehouse just off Archer Avenue. Now, he was a friend of the family and I would appreciate if you would let us plan his funeral. Good day, Detective Maas." She ended the call, turning off her cell phone.

"Who was that?" I asked. "You were awfully frosty to Detective Maas."

"He was being a nosetta," Alice growled. "He's detective in the organized crime division. Peter Maas is the bane of our existence, really."

"Does he know about Edward? Carlisle? The Cullen Consortium?" I squeaked.

"No, but he's fishing for information. What surprises me is how he got information about Demetri? We use the Cenzo Altobelli Funeral Parlor. He's discreet and does not contact the police. He gets paid quite _handsomely_ for his services," Alice growled. She sent a text to Edward and Jasper. "We need to be wary, extra vigilant when dealing with the police. Hopefully, Claire can smooth waves that were created by this shooting."

"I'll keep my fingers crossed," I said, squeezing her arm. "Is this Detective Maas a threat?"

"Probably the biggest one we can have other than the drama of Royce and Stephan," Alice sighed, flipping her hair up and pinning it up with pencil. "One problem at a time, Bells."

"When it rains, it pours," I shrugged, giving her a sympathetic smile. "Are we planning his funeral?"

"Esme has it covered," Alice nodded. "A wake, funeral, and memorial service. He will be buried among the Cullen family. He was an honored member of the family."

"Good," I whispered. "He didn't have anyone else. He was alone in the world." Alice hugged me and we went back to working on thank you cards. She spent the night. We heard from Edward shortly before midnight. They were still _working_ but would be home as expected, by tomorrow evening.

I hoped that the animal who murdered Demetri got what he deserved.

 **EPOV**

Driving down I-55 with Jasper and Felix in the car, I made my way to the safe house in Joliet. Felix was higher than a kite, but determined to make Matteo pay for what he did to Demetri. "You okay, Felix?" Jasper asked.

"Fine," he slurred. "The sooner we get to …" He trailed off, shifting uncomfortably. "I need another pain pill."

"Not yet, Felix," I chided. "We need you awake and alert, bud. You're running the show. You're telling us what to do when it comes to Matteo. You're the puppet master, pulling the strings. We're going to …"

"I know, Edward," he said, holding his arm tenderly. "It just hurts. Everything hurts. My mind, my arm, my leg and my heart. My brother … he's gone." His eyes darkened and he clenched his good hand in anger. "It's not fair."

"It's not and we're going to make them pay," I said, taking his hand and squeezing it gently. An hour later, we made it to some dingy house near the middle of downtown Joliet, just on the far side of the Slammer's field, the minor league baseball team that played there. Inside, we saw Jacob and Seth. They were eating dinner. "Where's Liam?"

"With Matteo in the basement," Jacob answered. "We've been taking turns watching over him."

"Has he calmed down?" Jasper asked.

"Meaning, has he stopped running his mouth?" Seth snorted. "That would be a no. He was proud of what he did."

"Did he say who sent him? Was it his father or …?" I trailed off, arching a brow.

"He didn't say, but he just kept boasting about how he was thrilled for bringing you down," Jacob said, finishing his meal and tossing it into the garbage.

"Boss, I'm in pain. Let's get this over with," Felix growled, standing up tall. Despite his injuries, he filled the room with his presence and his anger. He walked slowly, but with a purpose, to the stairs. He moved clumsily and we followed him downstairs. Felix stared at the scrawny boy, who was tied to the support post in the center of the house. Liam was standing to the side, a gun laying casually across his legs. Felix bent over, picked up Matteo and pressed his good arm against his neck. "You killed my best friend, my brother."

"He deserved to die. You all deserve to die," Matteo scoffed.

"Hmmm, so do you," Felix growled, pulling something out of his sling. He reared back and stabbed something into Matteo's side. He screamed. Jasper and I pulled Felix back. There was a nasty hunting knife sticking out of Matteo's gut.

"Felix, stand down," I sneered, pushing him into a waiting chair that Liam had vacated. "We need information. I know you want to make him pay. He will."

"Yes, he will. He'll slowly bleed to death," Felix growled, his eyes narrowed at the whimpering teenaged boy.

I blinked back at Matteo, who finally realized that he was not going to leave this basement. "Matteo, you fucked up, my boy. You got caught."

"Please, I don't want to die," he cried.

"Well, you should have thought about that before you led a crew to infiltrate my warehouse," I said, crossing my arms behind me. "You're going to die and from the amount of blood covering the floor, relatively soon." Crouching down, I looked at him. I saw Marcus's face in the teenager, but his eyes were crazed, angry and very scared. "Who sent you? Your father?"

"My father didn't want me to be a part of this life," Matteo spat, blood dribbling out his mouth. "I disagreed."

"You should have listened to him, Matteo. You could have lived a long life, a happy life, but now? You're dying in Joliet, surrounded by your father's enemies," I snickered. "If your father didn't send you, who did?"

"I'm not going to tell you," he said weakly. "But, they believed in me that I could live this life, make him proud."

"Him who?" I sang, pushing the knife deeper into the boy's side. He groaned.

"Stephan," he cried. "He and Royce … they recruited me. They wanted me to …"

"They wanted you to do what?" I asked, gripping his chin. His gaze was blank. "Matteo!" I pressed my fingers to his neck. "God damn it! He's dead!"

"Good, he got what he deserved," Felix slurred. "He should have suffered more."

I pinched my nose and stood up, pulling out the knife from Matteo's side. "At least, we know that Volturi was not involved. He apparently thought his son was not cut out for this work," I grumbled. "I have to agree. If he were truly a son of the Volturi, he would have never gotten caught." I looked at Jasper. "Clean this place up."

"Are we going to notify Marcus about his son's death?" Jasper asked.

"As a sign of respect, I'll make the notification," I replied. "Liam, you can come with me."

"Boss, with all due respect, I want to see this through," Liam nodded. "I'll help Jasper dispose of the body, and clean this place up."

"Thank you, Liam," I said, squeezing his shoulder. "When you're done and you've taken a few days off, come see me in the office. I want to reward you for your hard work."

"Will do, Boss," he nodded.

I turned to Felix, helping him to his feet. He looked shattered, completely lost and sad. "Come on, Felix. Let's get you someplace safe and quiet." I guided him up the stairs and into the car. Seth got in the car with us, along with Jacob. "Drive us to the condo in the city, Seth."

"Sure thing, Boss," Seth said.

We made our way back to the city. We struggled in helping Felix into my condo. He crashed in the guest room while Jacob and Seth went down to the Fortress. I went into my office, picking up the land line. I pressed the buttons, blocking my number and dialing Marcus Volturi. He was a member of the old guard and he respected the core values of the mafia. "Volturi," he barked.

"Marcus, this is Edward Cullen," I said smoothly.

"Ah, Mr. Cullen, always a pleasure," he replied, his voice deep and resonant, but colored with distrust. "What can I do for you? Calling to offer me your territory? Your businesses?"

"Nice try, Marcus," I deadpanned. "Have you heard from your son lately?"

"Matteo?" Marcus scoffed. "He ran away, spouting some bullshit about not being a valued member of the family. I haven't seen him since late May."

"So, you were not on speaking terms?" I asked, my heart in my throat.

"No. I love my son, but he is as stubborn as his mother," he growled. "Have you seen him?"

"I have, Marcus," I said, my voice softening and the sadness from his death creeping in my demeanor. "He led a raid on one of my warehouses. He …"

"He's dead, isn't he?" Marcus muttered.

"Yes, Marcus. I'm sorry. He was caught in the crossfire and he was stabbed to death," I said, lying about how his son died. It didn't matter how he died, but he was still dead.

"Mr. Cullen, Edward," he said, his voice cold, but reverent. "I appreciate you reaching out to me. I know your father still believes in the old ways, as do I. I respect you for calling me about my son. As much as I hate to hear of his death, it was inevitable."

"Do you claim the rite of vengeance?" I asked.

"No, Edward," Marcus said. "I'm an old man. My son was not designed for mob life. Too impetuous, too hasty."

"You have my sympathies, Marcus," I said.

"Do you have his body?"

"I will make arrangements for it to be delivered to the funeral home of your choice," I said. He prattled off the address of a funeral home in Westchester. "Again, my sympathies, Marcus. I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry, too, Edward. With everything that's happening," he said wearily. The line clicked off and I hung up. I sent a text to Bella, needing to tell her that I was okay. _I'm in the city. I miss you, my love. I'll be home tomorrow evening. I love you more than words can describe ~ Edward_

 _I'm glad you're safe. Call me when you get a chance tomorrow. Things have … well, we got a phone call. Alice got a phone call. I love you ~ Bella_

I sent a text to Jasper, telling him where to have Matteo's body sent. Then, I went to bed, wrinkling my nose at how sterile my condo now seemed. I tossed and turned, despite the fact that I'd been up for almost two days straight. When I woke up, I was not rested. I got dressed into a suit and I checked on Felix. He was still crashed in the guest room. Seth was down in the kitchen, eating some breakfast. I told him to keep an eye on Felix. He agreed readily. I called Jacob and met him down in the garage. We drove to the office. I saw Emmett and my father. We went into my office. I fogged my office windows and we slipped into the private conference area in my office.

We discussed what had happened at the warehouse. I also told them about my phone call to Marcus. My father was pleased that I respected the old laws, old rules. I told him about how Marcus sounded weary, worn down about this whole situation. Finally, we talked about Demetri's funeral. It was scheduled for the end of the week. We'd have a wake on Thursday, with the funeral on Friday.

I barely got through my meetings before I told Angela that I was leaving for the day. Jacob drove me back to the house and I found Bella curled up on our bed. I stripped out of my suit, curling around her and finally collapsing in exhaustion after nearly two days of not sleeping. Bella, my _cara,_ my _dolce_ , was the balm for my own weary soul and the exact thing I needed to rest.

 **BPOV**

The wake for Demetri was on Thursday. I was dressed in a grey dress with a pair of black heels. Edward was dressed in a black suit with a light gray shirt and a paisley grey tie. I was putting on a pair of pearl earrings with a matching necklace. "Do you think we'll get any trouble with this service?" I asked, smoothing my hair over my shoulders. "No surprise visits from that detective."

"From what I've heard, Claire has him running in circles," Edward said, adjusting his cuffs and putting on his tie. "Detective Maas will not bother us again."

"I hope so," I muttered. "How's Felix?"

"He's a mess, honestly," Edward sighed. "Liam has been reassigned to protect my father, along with Seth. Felix is out of commission until he can rehab his arm and speak with you."

"Does he need a psychological exam to begin working again?" I asked, half-joking but a touch serious, too.

"Pretty much, yeah. I refuse to have a loose cannon on my team," Edward answered. "Felix and Demetri were very close. They both had similar backgrounds and lost their entire families. They relied heavily on each other. So, Demetri's death would obviously hit Felix incredibly hard and understandably so. Until he's cleared by you and Alice, he's going to be off the team."

I hummed, very concerned for Felix. Out of the bodyguards, he was the one I knew the least about. He was a good guy, but scary and intimidating. He stood well over six-five with a nasty scar that ran the length of his jaw, disappearing into his hairline. Part of his chocolate-colored curly locks were gone because of the injury to his face and jaw. I said a prayer, hoping that he wouldn't let his grief consume him. "You don't think that Royce or Stephan would make a play for us today or tomorrow, do you?" I whispered. "I mean, we're down a bodyguard."

"Two, really," Edward grimaced. "Liam has stepped up, filling Demetri's place, but Felix is obviously not well enough to perform his duties. Like you said, he needs a psychological exam to begin working." He checked his watch. "Come on. We're running late and my mother despises tardiness. Especially when it comes to _family_ functions such as this."

I nodded and picked up my purse. Inside, I had a small handgun and strapped around my thigh was a knife. Jacob, Jasper, Edward, Emmett and Carlisle all insisted that I be armed. All of us were carrying some sort of weaponry on their person, just in case. Edward handed me a charcoal sweater, helping me down the stairs. We got into the waiting black SUV. Jasper was in the front, dressed in a slate gray suit with Alice, who had a black dress with patent leather belt around her waist. Following behind us was Jacob and Garrett. Seth and Liam were driving over with Emmett, Esme, Carlisle and a bereft, broken Felix. Paul, who had been staying in Forks, flew in and was now on protection detail, along with his cousin, Sam, who lived on the nearby Quileute Reservation in La Push.

The drive to the funeral home was quiet, somber. Edward held my hand, idly tracing the veins in my hand. I leaned my cheek against his bicep, watching as the houses turned to skyscrapers. On the near north side, we pulled into a parking lot, across from a bank of brownstones. We got out of the car, walking toward the brownstones, which was the funeral home. It had three levels of funeral parlors, with the top floor as the offices. Demetri's service was on the second level, filling up the entire floor. A lot of the people in attendance, I'd never seen before. Edward, however, explained that they were friends and family of his crew.

I looked around and they all seemed so … _normal._ I half expected the crowd to be thugs, junkies and the stereotypical bad guy. These people were well-dressed, somber and the opposite of thugs that anyone could imagine. Me and my prejudices … serves me right. Edward took my hand, threading our fingers together. We walked over to the computer with the sign in. He quickly put in our information, using the condo's address. We stood in line, making our way up to the coffin. Per Felix's insistence, the coffin was closed. Demetri said, explicitly, in his will, that he didn't want to be remembered as a wax figurine like all corpses look like after being embalmed. So, on either side of the coffin, nestled in beautiful arrangements of flowers, were two photos, displaying Demetri as we remembered him.

Smiling.

Laughing.

Protecting.

On a television, a DVD of memories were playing and it made me sad to think that we'd never hear him laugh again. He'd never tattoo another person. Jessica couldn't throw herself at him anymore. I wiped my cheek and Edward kissed my forehead. "I know, _cara_. I miss him, too."

"I just … I can't believe he's gone, Edward," I muttered.

"Me, neither, Bella," he said, helping me to my knees as we prayed in front of Demetri's sleek, charcoal coffin.

I pressed a kiss to the cover and stood up. Felix was standing in front with Carlisle and Esme. I hugged my future in-laws before taking Felix's hand. He jumped, looking at me with such agony. "Felix, I can't imagine what you're feeling, but if you ever want to talk."

"Can you make the pain stop?" Felix whispered.

"You suffered a great loss. The pain never truly stops, just dulls," I said. "But, honor Demetri, by doing what you think he would have wanted you to do. I know he loved you like a brother. He loved the whole family, but you were in his heart."

Felix nodded, leaning down and kissing my cheek. "You've made this family a better place, Miss Bella. I'm honored to protect you."

I smiled sadly, brushing his unkempt hair from his eyes. "You want to talk, call me," I said, pressing a card with my cell phone number on it. He nodded. "Promise? You're a good man, Felix."

"I promise, Miss Bella," he said, giving me a crooked, but broken smile. He turned to Edward, who gave him a solid man-hug. They spoke rapidly in Italian. I didn't understand anything, but from the reverent tone of their voices, it was words consolation, condolences and sadness.

The wake lasted for several hours. A priest came a little after seven and said a few prayers before wrapping things up for the evening. Staying in the city, we went back to the condo. Edward held me so close after we'd made love. I could see the pain in his eyes at the loss of Demetri, along with the fear of something happening to me, or to anyone else in our family. I felt the same way. If anything happened to Edward, I don't know what I'd do.

I just prayed that I never had to find out.

 **A/N: Don't throw sharp objects at me, kids. One of them was going to die, either Felix or Demetri. It was a flip of the coin with Demetri's death, to be honest. We're going to finish his funeral in the next chapter and lead up to the wedding itself, which will bring us closer to the climax … what do I have in store for you?**

 **Leave me some loving … and pay your respects for the loss of Demetri. If you have a kind word to share, please feel free to leave them for him in the form of a review.**


	24. Chapter 24

**So, none of this is mine. I wrote the first chapter for a contest and now, I'm expanding it. What I own … a condo and too many books. What I don't … _Twilight_ and all its characters.**

 **We're going to finish his funeral in the next chapter and lead up to the wedding itself, which will bring us closer to the climax … what do I have in store for you?**

 **Chapter Twenty-Four**

 **EPOV**

The morning of Demetri's funeral was rainy and dreary. It was fitting since today was a miserable day. Bella was getting dressed, wearing black dress with a charcoal gray sweater. Her hair was curled and draped over her shoulder. She looked so beautiful, but so incredibly sad. I felt for her because I was in the same boat. The loss of Demetri was hitting me profoundly.

"The world is crying because of Demetri's death," Bella murmured, sliding on her engagement ring. "It rained the day of my father's funeral, too." She pursed her lips. "It was a torrential downpour, if I remember correctly."

"It seemed like the world sobbed when your father died," I replied, sliding my arms around her waist. "He was a great man."

"So, was Demetri," Bella said, turning in my arms. "He will always be loved, even though he's gone." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed my jaw. "I love you, Edward. I know that everything is …"

"Fucked up," I snorted humorlessly.

"To put it mildly," she sighed. "But, we're together and our family is there for us, supporting us. Supporting Felix." My phone rang and I begrudgingly let her go. "Who is it?"

"Jacob," I answered, sliding my finger across the screen. "Are we leaving?"

"Yeah, Boss," Jacob replied. "Seth and I are waiting near the front door. Jasper is on his way to you with Alice." There was a pause and Jacob cleared his throat. "Sir, it would be in your best interest for you be armed. Jasper mentioned that there is a possible threat."

"What?" I growled.

"Jasper was trolling on Facebook, using a fake name, and he read some conversation about a possible hit at a funeral. It wasn't said that way, but it made Jasper jumpy," Jacob hissed. "I didn't get it. He showed me a screen capture, but I trust him."

"They were probably speaking in euphemisms," I sighed, scrubbing my face.

"Is there a medication for that?" Jacob asked.

I bit my lip, trying not to laugh. "I'm sorry, Jake. They were probably using a code to plan the hit. Keep it appropriate for Facebook and not alerting the authorities." There was a quiet knock at the door. "They're here, Jake. We'll be down in a little bit." I hung up the phone.

"What did Jake say?" Bella asked, arching a brow. "You looked like you were about snicker."

"He thought there was medication for euphemisms," I chuckled. Bella giggled. "Yeah, exactly." I kissed her forehead. "Armed, baby."

"I'm prepared," she said, sliding her thigh between mine. I could feel her holster and small weapon pressed against my leg. "I'm going to finish putting on my makeup. I forgot waterproof mascara. I think I'm going to need it." She turned, leaving the room.

I went to open the door. Jasper was standing outside, wearing a black suit and a grim expression. "Did you speak to Jake? Did he tell you about the threat?"

"Yeah, and we're protected," I said, unlocking my gun safe near the door and putting a Glock into my shoulder holster. "Are you?"

"Always, Boss," Jasper chuckled. "Are you okay with being a pall bearer for Demetri's funeral service?"

"Was that another thing that Jacob was supposed to tell me?" I snorted.

"Yes, and from your look I'd assumed he didn't," Jasper replied. "You, me, Jake, Seth, Emmett, Liam, Carlisle and Anthony are all acting as pall bearers."

"My father?" I whispered. "The last time he … was his …"

"Your grandfather's funeral," Jasper said, squeezing my arm.

"And when did Anthony get into town?"

"Late last night. He arrived on a private jet with Nina," Jasper nodded. Bella walked out and Jasper hugged her. "Looking beautiful, Miss Bella."

"Thank you," Bella said, kissing his cheek. "Demetri deserved us to look our best."

"Agreed," Jasper answered. Bella picked up her purse and I followed her, my hand hovering at her lower back as we locked up the condo. Alice was speaking on the phone, distressed and frustrated. I shot Jasper a look. He just shrugged, confused as me. She hung up and pinched her nose. "What's up, Alice?"

"Felix is asking for stronger pain medications," she said. "I'm terrified that he's … he was an addict, right?"

"No. He was a seller before he worked for us, but he never did any of his product," I answered.

"He's trying to cover up his emotional pain," Bella said. "The injury is giving him the opportunity to self-medicate. I realize that he's probably in a great deal of pain, but you shouldn't …"

"Oh, I don't intend to," Alice nodded as we got into elevator. "Is he staying with your parents?"

"For the foreseeable future," I replied.

"After the funeral, we may need to put him into a rehab facility. Your parents are overwhelmed with the wedding and this whole ordeal. Let me make some calls and get him a bed in a very strict, but posh facility near Lake Geneva. It'll help with his injury, his cravings and his emotional turmoil," Alice said. "It's expensive."

"Whatever it takes," I said, threading my fingers with Bella's. "He's in this situation because …" Bella squeezed my hand and leaned against me. The elevator opened and we strode out of it, heading to the waiting bullet proof car. The drive to the funeral parlor was quiet, solemn. Alice was speaking on her cell phone and making the arrangements for Felix at Lake Hills Rehabilitation Facility, about fifteen miles from Lake Geneva. By the time we arrived at the funeral parlor, Felix's stay was arranged and Jasper said he'd drive him to the facility on Sunday evening.

Clambering out of the car, we went inside. Felix was sitting on one of the couches, looking bleary and disheveled. His arm was hastily stuffed in his sling. I arched a brow and Jasper nodded imperceptibly. He, along with Jacob and Seth, helped him to his feet and guided him out of the room. My father walked over to me, his brow creased in concern. "Walk with me, Edward. I need some coffee."

"Bella, will you be okay?" I asked, kissing her hand.

"I'll be fine. Alice is with me and we're getting to know Liam," she answered.

"You just like hearing him talk," Alice snickered. Liam blushed and he ducked his head.

"What? A man with an accent is sexy," Bella shrugged.

I leaned down, brushing my lips against her ear. I whispered to her, in Italian, growling all I wanted to do to her delectable body, making her come as many times as possible, and she whimpered. "Better than an accent?" I asked.

"I have no idea what you said, but yes," she panted, sitting down heavily on the garish floral sofa.

I smirked, following my dad to the small hospitality suite in the rear of the funeral parlor. He made some coffee for us and handed me a flimsy paper cup. I wrinkled my nose as I sipped the coffee. "This is awful."

Carlisle took a sip and nodded. "Yes, it is. It makes me yearn for the espresso sitting at the house," he grumbled. "Not that we got much sleep."

"What happened?" I asked.

"Felix … he got rip-roaring drunk," Carlisle sighed. "He's … he's so lost, Edward."

"He called Alice, demanding stronger medication," I explained. "Suffice it to say, she didn't accommodate his request. She's made arrangements for him to stay at some rehab facility for his arm, along with assistance with his chosen coping mechanism – alcohol. Jasper will be driving him up there on Sunday."

"Who is telling him?" Carlisle asked.

"Alice, I'd assume, since she's his physician," I shrugged. My dad arched a brow, tossing his nasty-ass coffee into the garbage. He crossed his arms over his chest and cleared his throat. "You want me to do it."

"He's a part of our family. Yes, he needs help, but he needs to know that one – we're not abandoning him, but helping him, and two – that he cannot say a thing about our organization. He's in our inner-circle, Edward. He cannot spill the beans, to _anyone._ "

"We have to make sure that he's protected, too," I frowned.

"He can protect himself, but he needs to remember his oath to us," Carlisle said sternly. "Do you understand?"

"Of course, Dad," I said, glowering at him. "I'm not a child." His eyes flashed in frustration and anger. "You think we're pawning off Felix because of his problems, don't you?"

"A bit, yes," he answered.

"Well, you can attest to the fact that his problems are overwhelming, to say the least, Dad," I snapped. "Do you think that we're equipped to handle a man with significant physical limitations, PTSD and using alcohol and begging for drugs as his coping mechanism? He lost his best friend, his brother. Yes, he needs family, but he also needs professional help. Alice cannot give him the attention he needs and Bella is not a licensed psychologist. She can help, but not to the extent that he could get at a live-in facility."

"You're right," Carlisle sighed, scrubbing his face. "When the fuck did you get so smart?"

"I've always been smart, Pop. I take after Mom," I said, smirking at him. He slugged me in the arm, calling me an asshole. I snorted, nodding and dumping my own coffee into the garbage. "Come on. The funeral director should be here soon to do the memorial before we head to mass and then entombment at Queen of Heaven." We walked back to the parlor and saw that Felix was back. He was dressed in a fresh suit. His hair was combed and he looked more awake. I sat down next to Bella, taking her hand. "When did he get back?"

"About ten minutes ago. Seth and Jacob read him the riot act," she whispered. "He's hungover as shit. Alice gave him some aspirin and some coffee from the café across the street." I leaned over and kissed her temple, relishing in her softness, her strength. She snuggled against me, twining our fingers together.

 **BPOV**

I hated funerals. It brought back memories of my father's funeral. My mom, who had not even been a part of our lives for years, swooped in and took control. The flowers were over-the-top, the casket was too expensive and it was all just too much, very un-Charlie. Sitting in the funeral parlor, next to Edward, and seeing the sleek grey casket where Demetri was placed, it reminded of that moment.

Granted, this funeral was tasteful and Demetri's wishes were followed, save for us forgetting him. We'd never forget him. He was a part of the family. We'd honor him. For as long as we could …

A tall, lanky man walked in. He was dressed in a deep blue suit, that looked almost black. He spoke deeply, almost lulling me to sleep with his speech, explaining what was happening and where we were going. When he was done, we stood up and got into our cars. Edward was acting as a pall bearer, along with most everyone else from the family. Esme, Alice and I followed closely behind the casket. I looped my arm through Felix's and he leaned heavily against me, his face a mask of absolute grief.

Settling into our cars, we drove to the Pompeii Shrine. Demetri's mass was beautiful, heartfelt and poignant. Carlisle, Edward and Jasper all spoke on his behalf, sharing how much of a wonderful man he was. Felix cried silently next to me. I held his hand and provided as much comfort as I could, though my heart was shattering listening to them.

After the service, we got into the cars and drove to Queen of Heaven cemetery for Demetri's final entombment. Nina, Anthony's wife, sang a beautiful rendition of "Ave Maria," which had all of us in tears. We laid roses on top of his casket and left, driving to an Italian restaurant for a banquet in Demetri's honor. Jacob and Seth stayed behind to ensure Demetri's burial was done to exacting standards. He was being laid to rest in the Cullen plot overlooking a quiet knoll, along with several members of the crew, who had been killed in action.

The banquet was a somber, but lively affair. Stories were told about Demetri, his antics and his talents as a tattoo artist. He was loved and respected by everyone in the family. Felix stood up, holding a scotch on the rocks and his eyes teary. "Demetri would have hated every second of this. He was such a private man, but he would have respected and loved the shit out everyone being here for him. The world is not going to be the same without my best friend, my partner in crime, both literally and figuratively. He could make me laugh, bringing me out of my deepest of funks. He had the soul of an artist. Every one of my tattoos, Demetri created on my skin. He poured every ounce of his creativity into his ink. He poured every ounce of his respect and loyalty to the family." He sipped his drink and closed his eyes. "He saved me. That night, he shoved me out of the way and he lost his life because of me."

I gasped. He was dealing with the pain of losing his best friend and on top of that, he was suffering from survivor's guilt. "Oh, Felix," I whispered.

"I didn't know," Edward murmured to me. "He hasn't spoken about that night." He blinked to me. "Did he mention it to you?"

"No, he just mentioned how much he missed Demetri and how his life will never be the same," I said.

"Demetri was my brother, my family, my best friend." Felix raised his glass. He rattled off something in Italian. I recognized the word love and family, but not much else. Everyone responded in kind, taking a sip of their drinks. Felix nodded reverentially to Edward and Carlisle before sitting down next to Jasper. He slammed his drink, closing his eyes in pain and grief.

Shortly after his speech, Edward paid for the banquet and we all clambered into our various cars. I crawled into Edward's lap, needing to be close to him. He didn't say much, just held me as rode in rush hour traffic. I inhaled his masculine, clean scent and allowed it to settle me. As we got closer to home, Edward nuzzled my neck. "I need you, _cara._ "

"I need you, too," I whispered back, brushing my lips against his. He sighed, his fingers digging into my side. I snuggled closer, idly toying with the hair at the nape of his neck.

"I understand your need, but keep it PG, kids. I don't want to see your hairy ass, Boss," Jasper quipped from the front seat.

"Why didn't we bring the limo?" Edward grumbled. "We could have raunchy limo sex."

"Because you needed the protection with the bulletproof car, Edward," Jasper said. "The limo isn't as protected, Boss."

"And I don't want to sew you up a month away from your wedding, Boss," Alice chirped. "I don't think scars would work well for pictures."

"She's got a point," I said, ruffling Edward's hair. I pressed my lips to his ear, "Hickeys, however …"

"Fuck me," he groaned.

"Thank goodness we're almost home," Jasper growled. "We're moments away from seeing a live porno in the backseat."

"We have more control than that, jack ass," I snapped, arching my brow. Jasper just grunted, rolling his eyes as he turned into our subdivision. The gate lifted open and he drove us to our home first, doing a cursory sweep around the property before allowing us to get out of the car. We went inside, watching as Jasper drove away. Edward looked at me, his eyes fiery. "Is the control gone, Mobward?"

"You have no idea, Isabella," he growled.

 **EPOV**

I caged my fiancée with my hands, staring into her dilated eyes. There was sadness there, but her need was apparent. As was mine. Feeling her warmth on my lap as we drove home made me as hard as a rock. She licked her lips, her fingers dancing up my tie. "I want to own you, Isabella," I purred. "Every part of your body. I need to remember how to feel."

"I know," she breathed. "Make me yours, Edward. Fuck me."

"Where?" I asked. "Do you want me to fuck here? I don't think we've fucked on the stairs, Isabella."

"Please," she whimpered. I smiled and crushed my lips against hers, tearing her sweater from her body. Once her hands were free, she tugged on my tie and shoved my suit coat over my shoulders. I turned her around, tugging down the zipper of her black dress and revealed her lacy black lingerie, making my cock even harder. She stepped out of dress and I ran my hands up her lithe, sexy body. "Edward …"

"Just let me touch you," I whispered against her ear, my finger gliding along her taut belly. I pressed my body against hers and she arched her back, pressing her ass against my cock. "Let me love you."

"Yes," she moaned.

I smiled against her neck, cupping her breasts over the lace. She turned her head, kissing my lips as I teased her. Her arms reached around my neck and I slid my hands under the cups of her bra, twisting her nipples. She arched against my hands. "You like my hands on you, _cara?_ " I asked.

"Yes, more …"

"Do you want my mouth?" I questioned, kissing down her neck and looking at her pert breasts as I toyed with them. "On your tits? Your pussy?"

"Oh, fuck," she panted, nibbling on my lower lip. I plunged my tongue into her mouth as I released her bra. Lowering her arms, I tossed the garment onto the ground and turned back around. I pressed her against the wall, pushing her arms above her head. I pushed my knee between her legs and I felt her heat, her arousal. We kissed hungrily as ran my fingers along her ribs, palmed her tits and twisted her pink nipples. "Edward, it hurts."

"Where, baby?" I asked, sucking just below her ear. "What hurts?"

"I'm so wet. I want more. Lick me. Lick my pussy," she pleaded, her fingers threading in my hair.

I growled against her mouth, kissing down her body and I sucked on her breasts. Bending my knees, I picked her up and sat her down on the steps. Shirking off my dress shirt, I stared at my fiancée, my life. She was looking at my hungrily. Her face was flushed, lips swollen and her nearly naked body on display. I bent down, tugging off Bella's panties and spreading her legs. "Your pussy is so wet, Isabella," I said, blinking up to look at her. "Feel how wet you are."

She bit her lip, snaking her hand down and she swirled her fingers over her clit. She moaned. "Fuck, only you make me this wet, Edward," she murmured. I grinned crookedly, lifting her hand from her sex and drawing her fingers into my mouth. She groaned as I swirled my tongue over her fingers, tasting her sweet, decadent arousal.

I leaned forward, kissing her soft, sweet lips before crouching before her. I kissed up her legs, stopping at the seam where her legs met her torso. She rolled her hips when I pulled away, making me chuckle. I repeated the same action up her other leg, but I dived into her sex, tasting every inch of her. She screamed, her hands flying to my hair and tugging on it painfully. I slid my tongue into her pussy. Her arousal coated my tongue, my lips and it tasted better than anything in the world. She was sweet, spicy and musky. I devoured, fucking her with my tongue until she was coming all over my face. I kissed her inner thighs before sitting up and unbuckling my belt. Bella watched me with rapt attention. She sat up, kissing me and plunging her tongue into my mouth, tasting her essence on me. We worked together to push my pants and boxers over my hips. "Make me yours," she pleaded.

I kept my mouth on hers as I lined my cock to her entrance. I rubbed my hardness against her body and she pushed, needing me. I placed the swollen head of my cock inside her. I pulled back, staring into her eyes as I eased my way in, feeling every inch of her tight body. "I love you, Isabella," I breathed, bracing my hand behind her head.

"More than that," she said, caressing my jaw.

"So much more," I smiled, crashing my lips against hers and moving in her easily. Our kisses were frenzied, as were my movements. Bella's fingers were rubbing her clit as I pumped in and out. Her arousal coated me, making my cock glisten in the setting sunlight. "Fuck, Bella. I can feel you squeezing me."

"So, good," she said, nipping at my jaw. "Your cock feels so good inside me. Harder, Edward. Make me fucking come."

"Together, _cara_ ," I commanded. "Keep rubbing that pretty little clit." I lifted one leg up and spread her legs further. I picked up the pace of my thrusts. Bella gripped my arm as she furiously circled her clit. I felt my balls tighten and I gripped her leg tighter. "Fuck, Bella."

"Yes, fuck Bella," she grunted. "Edward!" Her body clenched around me and I growled as my body exploded within her, filling every inch of her pussy with my cum. I kept thrusting until my body softened and my knees, old and decrepit as they were, gave out.

 _Fucking on hardwood stairs. Not. Good._

I leaned against the bannister, calming my breathing and trying to hide the pain I was experiencing in my joints. Bella sat up. Her face was flushed and hair, which had been curled beautifully, was now a tangled example of sex hair. "Wow," she panted.

"Yeah," I nodded. "Though, my … I need help getting up."

"Oh, baby," Bella chirped, scrambling to her feet and helping me up. "Come on, love. Let's take a bath. It'll be good for your achy bones, old man."

"Hey, I'm not that old. Just have bad knees," I grumbled, as we went upstairs. Bella giggled, kissing me and helping me into our soaker tub. She turned it on and darted down the stairs to get our clothes while settled back, pouring in bubbles and lighting candles around the tub. Bella came back into the bathroom and tossed her sex-ravaged hair into a loose bun, sliding into the tub. I pulled her into my arms and kissed her neck. "Are you okay, love?"

"I'm very sad at the loss of Demetri," she replied. "However, I'm concerned for Felix. Survivor's guilt … it's tough."

"Hopefully, he'll get the help he needs at the rehab facility," I murmured. "Though, it's my responsibility to tell him. I don't know how he's going to take it. Yes, he needs help, physically, emotionally and mentally. But, he cannot divulge anything about us, about our organization."

"I can help you, Edward," Bella said. "Right now, he needs his family, and to be surrounded by love, support."

"Is that what you wanted when your dad died?" I asked, frowning deeply.

"No. I wanted him back," Bella shrugged. "But, fate was a cruel bitch and handed me my incubator instead. I would not have managed any of her bullshit without Uncle Jimmy. He was supportive, but he wasn't my dad." She was quiet, idly playing with my fingers. "Losing him was awful. I've been having nightmares."

"Of what, _dolce?_ " I asked.

"Losing you," she answered, her voice quiet and quivering with fear. "I don't … I can't lose you, Edward. Everyone I've ever loved has …" She cried, turning in my arms and throwing her arms around my neck. "I almost lost Uncle Jimmy. My dad's dead and if I lose you, I'll have no one."

"Bella, _mi amore_ , I'm not going anywhere," I said soothingly.

"How can you say that? Know that for sure?" she asked, looking up at me. "Demetri was probably thinking about going out for drinks with Felix after that delivery, but instead, he's dead. We buried him today. Today, it was him. Tomorrow, it could be you."

"Do want me to walk away?" I asked. "For you, I will. I couldn't bear anything happening to you, Bella. Because of your association with me, it did. Someone hurt you, trashed your apartment … yes, it led us to be together, but I still hurt you."

"No, I don't want you to walk away. You'd resent me and I don't want that," Bella sniffled. "And it wasn't like you beat the shit out of me. Some asshole working for Royce or Stephan did. Not you." She looked up at me, her eyes so beautiful and filled with so much love. "I'm just afraid of you not coming home. It's my biggest fear, Edward. Losing you … it would shatter me."

"As would losing you, _cara,_ " I whispered, pressing my forehead to hers. I kissed her sweetly. "If that should happen, I want you to know …"

"No, I don't even want to think about that," she said stubbornly.

"Too bad. You need to know this," I growled. "I've changed my will. You get everything. The house, my company, _everything._ "

"But, I don't want everything. I just want you," she sobbed. I took her face into my hands, wiping her tears from her cheeks.

"Then, I'll do my best to not get killed," I quipped. Bella scowled, punching me in the shoulder. "Bella, _dolce_ , I'm here to stay, love."

"Show me," she whispered. Her hand reached beneath the water and stroked my cock. I'd already been at half-mast while I held her in my arms. Her methodical stroking made me even harder. "Show me that you're not going anywhere."

"Make love to me," I murmured, moving her over my legs. She kissed me and slid down my length, rolling her hips in perfect harmony with my upward thrusts. Whereas our coupling on the stairs was powerful, sexy and feral, this was more about claiming and showing comfort. We kissed languidly, moving together in the most intimate of ways. Bella clung to me as she had a powerful orgasm, squeezing me so tightly. I kept moving within her until my own release came soon after and panting against her sweet skin. "I love you, Bella. Even if I'm gone, nothing will change that."

"Well, you're not going anywhere," she grumped. "You may be older than me, but I want a long, happily married life with you, Edward. I want to have your babies. I want to grow old with you." She bit her lip, wrinkling her nose. "Or, watch you grow old, while I stay young and hot."

"You're hysterical, Swan," I deadpanned. She smirked, but I could see in her eyes that she was still terrified of something happening to me. I just held her tightly, keeping her in my arms until the water cooled, the bubbles dissipated and our stomachs growled. We got out of the tub and dressed comfortably, eating some leftovers and settling in to watch a movie. I looked down once the movie was done and saw that Bella was asleep, her tiny hand gripping my t-shirt and her face relaxed. "Nothing will happen to me, love. I'd sooner walk away than cause you pain. I promise you that."

"Love you," she breathed, snuggling closer.

"I adore you more than my own life, Isabella Marie Swan. Always," I whispered.

 **BPOV**

Edward was pacing frenetically in his office. His hair was a mess from his hands being thrust into it. Jasper was driving over to pick up Felix so we could have him over for an early dinner before he was sent off to the rehab facility. Alice spoke to him about it, saying that it was for his injuries, but it was Edward and well, my responsibility to tell him about the drug/alcohol portion of the rehab facility.

I was in the kitchen, finishing up Felix's favorite meal of eggplant parmesan, with meatballs the size of my head. I also made some lemon-blueberry ricotta pound cake, with blueberry sauce. I was putting the eggplant into the oven when I heard the door open and Jasper's deep voice filling the foyer. I set the timer, wiped my hands and met up with Alice, Jasper and Felix. The latter looked much better, but still very sad. Though, he didn't look hungover or drugged. "Hello, Felix," I said, kissing his cheek. "I hope you're hungry."

"I still don't have much of an appetite, but if you're cooking, I'll eat it," Felix said, trying to smile, but it looked more like a grimace. I took his arm and led him out to the patio. Jasper sat out with him, while I had Alice help me with the beverages and appetizers.

"Where's your other half?" she hissed as we put together the tray.

"Perseverating," I sighed. "Can you bring this out while I drag Edward out of his office?" Alice nodded and I ran up the stairs to his office. I opened the door and leaned casually against it, watching him humorlessly pace the length of his office. "Do you want a BJ to calm you down?"

"Holy fuck!" he barked, glowering at me. "I should put a bell on you. You're like a fucking ninja."

"My dad and Uncle Jimmy called me Bells," I smirked. "Felix is here. Jasper and Alice are entertaining him on the patio. Get your Mobward ass out there to talk to the guy."

"When did they get here?" he asked.

"A few minutes ago. I thought you saw Jasper pull up. Your office overlooks the driveway," I said, taking his hand. He pulled me to a stop. "What is it, baby?"

"Do you think this is the right idea?" he pressed. "Shouldn't he be around people he trusts? He loves?"

"We can ask him. We set up the rehab facility, but it's ultimately Felix's decision to go there," I said, brushing his hair away from his face. "Come on. We eat first and then we discuss life-altering decisions."

He kissed me and we went downstairs, out onto the patio. Felix stood up when he saw Edward. My man gave him a hug, whispering something in Italian in Felix's ear. Felix nodded and shook Edward's hand. "How's your arm, Felix?" Edward asked, pulling me onto his lap. I swiped at him, moving to my own chair, resulting in an adorable pout from him.

Felix chuckled, but it felt forced. "It's really stiff and sore. Dr. Alice took a look at the stitches and said everything's healing properly, but my bicep is still pretty fucked up. She said it might be almost six months before I'm cleared for anything other than desk work. I'm, unfortunately, awful at desk work."

"Why do you say that?" I asked.

"My strengths lie in my muscle, Miss Bella," Felix replied. "I'm not book smart like the Boss or handy with technology like Jasper or even Jacob. I don't know how I'm going to fit in the organization if I'm unable to do what I've been trained to do. That's fighting, protecting and …" he trailed off and his eyes grew misty.

"Felix, we're not going to toss you to the wayside. You're still family," Edward said. "And you need to focus on your healing. Don't worry about your job. No matter what, it'll be here for you. Even if you're tied to a desk. We'll find something for you that is tied into your new strengths."

"I just feel like …" he sighed. "With this whole rehab thing … am I being thrown away?"

"You're not, Felix," I answered. I looked at Edward and at Alice. "You know what I studied, right?"

"Psychology," he replied.

"I was in a master's program for psychology, yes. But, I took a number of classes in undergrad, too. Jasper, Edward and the Cullen's, they set up the appointment for the rehab facility because of your arm, but I'm going to speak frankly. They were concerned about your need to cover up your pain with drugs," I said. "I heard Alice speak to you on the phone when you asked for stronger pain pills. That's a huge red flag. Yes, you lost Demetri, your closest friend and brother. That is unbearably painful. We're all reeling from that loss."

"He was … he was my family," Felix whispered.

"As you are _our_ family. We love you, Felix, and we don't want anything to happen to you," I said, moving to sit closer to him. I took his hand. "Look at me, Felix." He took his time but he eventually met my eyes. The sadness in his hazel orbs was overwhelming. "Do you want your life to end?"

"What's the point?" he shrugged. "My brother is gone. I won't be able to do my job. Why should I want to go on?"

I schooled my looks, but my heart was breaking for him. "Is that why you wanted the stronger drugs?"

He nodded, tears streaking down his cheeks. "Demetri's dead because of me. He took that bullet that was meant for me, Miss Bella. I should be in the ground. Not him. He had a spark of goodness, of light. I don't. I rose up on his heels, following in his footsteps. I'm not worthy of being here. I'm not worthy of anything." I hugged him. He clung to me and I looked up, seeing that Edward, Alice and Jasper had given us privacy. "I just want the pain to stop."

"I get it, Felix. I truly do," I said. "I felt the same way when my dad died. But, you can't just give up. Your family needs you."

"I don't have a family. Demetri was my family," Felix choked out.

"I disagree, Felix," I growled, pushing him back and smooshing his face. "The Cullen's are your family. Blood does not make us family, but our love does. We love you. We don't you to shoulder this alone."

"Then, why are you sending me away?" he whimpered.

"Do you want to go?" I asked. "Be honest."

"I don't know. I know I need help, but I don't want to be alone," he answered. "And I feel like a god damned pussy with all of this crying."

"I cried a lot when my father died, too. It's okay, Felix," I breathed. "You're battling a crippling injury, losing your friend, your brother and dealing with the aftermath of that raid. I'd be worried if you didn't have some sort of emotional response. Can I offer a compromise?"

"What's that?"

"You stay, here. You can move into the garage apartment with Jacob. You're tight with him, right?" I asked.

"We're close, but not as close as me and Dem," Felix shrugged.

"Jacob will help you with your physical rehabilitation, along with Alice. I will help you with your emotional rehabilitation," I suggested. "But, you cannot use drugs as your crutch. Or alcohol. I understand the physical pain you're enduring, but your medication will be closely monitored. If you are abusing your medications, this option will be void and you will go up to that rehab clinic in Lake Geneva. I'd rather you be among friends, family and those of us who love you than with strangers. We do love you, Felix. We wouldn't have gone to this much trouble if we didn't."

Felix stared at me a long time. He squeezed my hand and kissed my cheek. "The Boss is one lucky fucker to have you in his life, Miss Bella," he said. "Demetri had a light inside him. You are light and good and …" He smiled and it was genuine. "I accept your offer. I promise to do right by you."

"I know you will. And Jacob, he'll kick your ass if you fuck up," I snorted. "Come on. Let's go eat. The three of those yahoos can't cook to save their lives. They might burn my eggplant parmesan. You need your strength and the way to build up strength is to feed you yummy carbs. Shall we?" I stood up and offered him my hand. He chuckled and we went inside. I checked on the meal while Edward spoke to Felix. They hugged and I knew everything would be okay.

"You know, you're making all of us look bad," Alice quipped.

"How so?" I asked, elbowing her in the side.

"You make being a mob wife look easy," she answered. "You are so loving and so sweet."

"I'm just … I want to take care of my family, Ali," I shrugged. "All of you."

"Well, you kick ass at it," she beamed. "You are truly the yin to Edward's yang."

"Or should I say 'wang,'?" I snickered.

"Speaking of wangs, Jasper and I …" she blushed, biting her lip. "We made love."

"No panic attacks? I didn't get any frantic phone calls," I said, hugging her.

"No panic attacks. He was … he was perfect, Bella," she breathed. "He was careful, slow and so loving."

"I'm glad, Alice," I said. "You deserve to be happy and who knows, maybe you'll have a mini Jasper growing inside you?"

"Birth control," she said dryly. "We're going to start trying AFTER your wedding. Now, that food smells delicious. Can we eat yet?"

 **EPOV**

After Felix's emotional outburst on the patio and conversation with my patient, loving and beautiful fiancée, things calmed down. Felix seemed lighter and he told me about Bella's suggestion for her offer to help. I wasn't surprised when he mentioned it to me. I was actually relieved. I didn't want to threaten the man's life about blabbing our secrets to some random shrink in the rehab facility.

Dinner was delicious and dessert was decadent. I damn near cried when Bella wrapped up the rest of the cake, giving it to Felix to bring back to my parents. I wanted that cake for me, damn it. Bella, grinning cheekily, poked my belly and said that the six-pack was turning into a keg. Jasper guffawed and I told him that it was his ass that was going to be up with me at the crack of dawn, running off said cake.

That shut him up, right quick.

In regard to Felix, it was decided that he'd move in with Jacob in the garage apartment the following weekend, clearing out the guest house on my parent's property. Felix would work with Jacob and would become a part of our security team. Liam and Seth were moving into the guest house previously occupied by Demetri and Felix, with Garrett staying with Emmett. It was one huge security force shuffle, but it all worked out in the end.

On Monday, I was working in the office and Emmett came in. He sat down with a flourish and fogged up my privacy glass. "So, Boss, I was thinking …"

"That's dangerous," I quipped, arching a brow over my glasses. "Shouldn't you be showing a house or something? Or listening to some pitch?"

"My next appointment isn't until AFTER lunch, so I came to talk to you about something very important, big brother," Emmett said.

"What's that?"

"Your bachelor party," he nodded with finality. "Come on! It's going to be fucking awesome. I have it all planned out."

"I'm not going to some skanky strip club. The only woman I want to see naked is Bella," I said. "I wouldn't mind going to another baseball game or something, but nothing over the top, Em."

"Well, shit," Emmett grumbled. "It's my God-given rite of passage to plan your last night of freedom, Edward. It's written in the male scripture. Thou shalt not get married without going to some titty bar! Give me your man-card. It's revoked."

I crossed my arms over my chest and pursed my lips. "Did you have a bachelor party?" I tapped my lips, thinking back. "That would be a no. Rosalie forbade it."

"Frigid bitch," Emmett growled. "That's why it's so important _you_ have a bachelor party, Eddie!"

"Don't call me Eddie," I groused. "Brings back memories of third grade and being shoved into the toilet bowl by those idiotic fourth graders."

"And what did you do after they did that?" Emmett snickered.

"I had Billy show up, dressed up like a mafia goon, threatening the shit out of them," I smirked. "It was sweet, but I still hate the name. Anyway, I really don't want a bachelor party. I'm actually looking forward to getting married, Emmett."

"How about a compromise? I hear you're all about them, lately," Emmett teased.

"That was Bella and I happen to agree with her, after I spoke with her about the compromise with Felix. It did seem cold that we were dumping him in some facility. My _dolce_ , she lives up to her name. She's so sweet and loving," I said, my voice turning wistful.

"The total opposite of you, bad ass," Emmett snickered. I scowled, throwing a pencil at his head. "Oooh, I'm shaking."

"Do you want me to whip out my knife?" I growled.

"Nah, I'm good," Emmett smirked. "How about AFTER the rehearsal dinner, you let your groomsmen take you out for a night at Bound and Gagged?"

"That's also the night I'm ascending to the head of the family, Emmett," I said.

"All the more reason to celebrate," Emmett replied. "When is that happening?"

"Hold on," I sighed, pulling out my tablet. I opened up the wedding file that my mother had sent me. It was everything for our wedding weekend laid down to the very second. "Mom has every fucking minute planned."

"And this surprises you?" Emmett quipped.

"No, not really," I said, opening the file to the Friday before our ceremony. "So, my ascension ceremony is taking place at the house at two in the afternoon. That should take an hour or so. The leaves us an hour to drive to the city to make it to Holy Name Cathedral for the rehearsal, followed by the rehearsal dinner at seven. After the rehearsal dinner, I'm free until the following day, for the wedding ceremony."

"And what time do you need to be at the church on Saturday?" Emmett asked.

"Our service is at two, so by one?" I shrugged. I flipped to the wedding day. "No, half-past twelve."

"So, essentially, we have over twelve hours to have some fun," Emmett retorted, rubbing his hands together. "After the dinner, we go to Bound and Gagged, partake in some alcohol, watch the live show and celebrate my older brother's ascension to be the leader of the Cullen Consortium." He grinned widely, his eyes twinkling. "What could go wrong?"

 **A/N: Lots of stuff happened in here … We finished Demetri's funeral, had some citrusy times and Emmett convinced, maybe, Edward to have a bachelor party. Up next will be the final preparations for the wedding ceremony, including Edward's ascension to the head of the family and their respective bachelor/bachelorette parties. Leave me some loving! Thanks for reading! ;-)**


	25. Chapter 25

**So, none of this is mine. I wrote the first chapter for a contest and now, I'm expanding it. What I own … a condo and too many books. What I don't … _Twilight_ and all its characters.**

 **Lots of stuff happened in the previous chapter … We finished Demetri's funeral, had some citrusy times and Emmett convinced, maybe, Edward to have a bachelor party. Up next will be the final preparations for the wedding ceremony, including Edward's ascension to the head of the family and their respective bachelor/bachelorette parties.**

 **Chapter Twenty-Five**

 **BPOV**

"I just heard from the last guest. Everyone has RSVP'ed to the wedding," Esme sang, putting a card into a decorative box filled with the RSVP cards.

"Who?" I asked.

"Some cousins from New York. They're related to my side of the family," Esme answered. "Heidi and her brother, Clinton."

"Everyone is going to have to have nametags," I snorted. "The only people I know are the immediate family, plus the body guards. Are they coming?"

"They will be in attendance, acting as security for the event. I know that Jacob and Seth are ushers. Jasper, of course, is a part of the bridal party since he's Edward's best friend," Esme said. "The rest of the guys will be stationed at the church, the reception hall and the hotel where you'll be spending the night before the honeymoon."

"Do you know where we're going?" I asked, a coy grin on my face.

"I do, and I'm not telling you," Esme chuckled. "Alice, Lauren and I are packing your suitcases." My jaw dropped. There was no way in hell that my mother-in-law is going to be packing my unmentionables. I wanted to pack my lingerie to make my husband explode with sexual tension.

"Uh, Esme. I love you, but I'm packing my own bags. Give me a hint … do I need bikinis or parkas?" I chuckled.

"Bikinis," she sighed, giving me a wry grin.

The door opened and I heard some chattering. I turned around and saw Uncle Jimmy walk, leaning heavily on his cane, talking with Carlisle. "Uncle Jimmy," I smiled, walking to him and hugging him. "Oh, you stink, bud."

"I just had physical therapy, brat," Uncle Jimmy snorted. "Carlisle was kind enough to pick me up and drop me off. Thank you!"

"My pleasure. It forced me to work out while he worked his ass off," Carlisle chuckled, draping a towel over his shoulder.

"Both of you shower. The stench is overwhelming. I'll make a light lunch for us," Esme said, darting to the fridge. Carlisle chuckled, heading upstairs while Uncle Jimmy hobbled to his suite. I helped Esme in making lunch, preparing an antipasto platter, bruschetta and garlic bread. Esme whipped up some stuffed meatballs and spaghetti, reheating some homemade sauce that was in the refrigerator.

"You know, it's funny. This 'light lunch' is a full meal for the rest of the world," I snickered.

"In Italy, food is love, girl," Esme snorted.

"There's enough food to feed a third-world country," I quipped. Esme just giggled, waving a hand dismissively. By the time Carlisle and Uncle Jimmy were cleaned up, our 'light lunch' was on the kitchen table and there was very little room for the plates.

As we were finishing our lunch, Uncle Jimmy smiled. "Do you mind if I steal my niece for the rest of the afternoon?" he asked. "Are you done planning the wedding of the century?"

"Everything is pretty much is set, save for the wedding itself," Esme nodded. "And yes, you can take her, but you need to bring Jacob with you."

Jimmy wrinkled his nose. "Is that really necessary?"

"Yes, Uncle Jimmy," I replied. "There's still a danger out there. Jacob is probably the best option. He's my best friend and he'll give us the privacy we need." I slipped out my phone and sent a text to Jake. He responded immediately. He was in the guest house, hanging out with Seth, Liam and Felix. After helping Esme clean up lunch, I told Jake to come up to the main house. Jacob pulled up in the bulletproof SUV. I sighed, wishing we'd be using Edward's Volvo, but I knew he had it at the office with Jasper. Jimmy hobbled with me, getting into the SUV. Jake put in some earbuds after we'd told him where we wanted to go, which was Jimmy's old condo.

"Is everything okay, Uncle Jimmy?" I asked. "Why does my body guard have earbuds stuffed in his ears?"

"I just wanted to see how you were doing, Bells," Jimmy said. "I didn't get a chance to talk to you since Demetri's funeral. He seemed like a good kid and it's a damn shame that he …"

"Was killed needlessly?" I offered, arching a brow.

"Well, yeah," he shrugged. "Do you know what happened?"

"Not in so many words. Felix, the tall guy with the bum arm? He was Demetri's best friend and Demetri saved him. I've been helping Felix, dealing with his survivor's guilt and resulting PTSD," I replied. "Putting my psychology education to good use, you know?"

Jimmy chuckled. "I'm glad you're using your degree, Bells. You're going back in the fall?"

"After the wedding, I'll pick up where I left off. I'll have an additional semester to make up since I couldn't do much with my independent studies, but I'm set for the next year," I answered.

"Good. Just because you're getting married, I don't want you to put your dreams on hold for Edward. He's a good guy. Don't get me wrong, but you should finish your master's program, Bells. You'd do so well, go so far," Jimmy whispered, hugging me close.

"I know, Uncle Jimmy," I said, snuggling closer to him. He sighed, leaning his cheek against my head and we watched as the scenery morphed into the dingy neighborhood where Jimmy's condo was located. "Ugh, dude, you need to sell this dump."

"That's the plan," he chuckled. "I got my settlement from the city, thanks to some speedy lawyer work from Edward's attorney, Jenks. I'm set for life, Bells. So, are you, kiddo."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"The amount that I got from the city was an eight-figure number," he said. "I used the insurance policy to pay off my employees and to buy out my mortgage on the Swan Dive. The money I received from the city, I'm using that to purchase a small home in your neighborhood. It's closer to the entrance and this small house is a little larger than my condo now and is way over-priced, but I want to be close to my only family. _Plus,_ I've asked Sue and Leah to move in with me."

"Really?" I breathed. "Do you love Sue?"

"I do, kiddo," he blushed. "I thought I loved Vicky, but that pales to what I feel for Sue Clearwater. And Leah? She's the sweetest girl I've ever met. Yes, she's got the developmental delay, but she's got a good heart and loves so completely."

"Speaking of Vicky, have you heard from her?" I grumbled. "I wouldn't put it past her to hear about your windfall and she'd try to come weaseling back into your life. She's so much like my mother that way."

"I haven't heard anything from her, but I have heard from your mother," he groused.

"Oh, really?" I sighed. "What did she want?"

"The usual," he replied. "Money, your father's inheritance, to give you grief. Soul-sucking bitch."

"Don't hold back, James," I snorted humorlessly.

"I can be quite more descriptive when it comes to that … that … cuntalina," he grumbled.

"Wow, Jimmy. That's harsh," I laughed.

"I know how you feel about that word," he shrugged. "And I feel the same way, too. But, Renee Higginbotham is a c-word."

"What did you say to her?" I asked.

"I told her to leave you alone," he said, his brows furrowed. "She apparently sent you some notification to your old address and it got sent back, no forwarding address. She tried to send it to me, but I usually throw away her bullshit."

Jacob pulled up to Jimmy's condo and my uncle wrinkled his nose. "What, Uncle Jimmy?"

"Stairs. I still have a hard time navigating stairs," he shrugged. "I'm ever so grateful that I'm on the main level at Carlisle and Esme's place. No stairs." He handed me his keys. "Go open up the place. I'll meet you up there."

"Jake, can you help Uncle Jimmy?" I asked.

"Bells, I'm fine. Jake, go with her, please?" Jimmy pleaded.

"I was planning on it, Mr. Swan," Jake nodded. "Bella shouldn't be alone. I know that you lived here for years, but this neighborhood isn't the safest and …"

"Oh, my God. I walked in this neighborhood at night," I said, throwing my hands up.

"Not anymore," both Jake and Jimmy grumbled under their breath. I rolled my eyes, using the keys to let myself into the building. Jake took the keys from me and went in front of me, opening up Jimmy's condo and doing a quick check.

"Nothing out of order, Jacob?" I deadpanned.

"It smells old in here, but nothing's not where it's supposed to be, I don't think," he said, holstering his gun.

"Good, now go help my uncle," I ordered. "He was freaking out about the stairs."

"Bella," he whimpered.

"I'm armed, Jake. Please, help him?" I wheedled. Jake made a face, but nodded jerkily, stomping out of the condo. I wrinkled my nose and went to the pantry, grabbing a garbage bag. Throwing open the fridge, I tossed the food that had been in there since Jimmy's accident. It wasn't much, but there was a funk inside. I was almost finished when Jimmy and Jake came back. Jake helped Jimmy into his recliner. My uncle looked so pained, rubbing his leg. I ran to him, crouching in front of him. "What do you need, Uncle Jimmy?"

"I need my bionic limb to actually be bionic," he snorted. "Do you know how emasculating it is to have another grown man pick you up like a baby?"

"Jake?" I squeaked.

"There was an old lady giving him the stink eye," Jake shrugged. "She was bitching that Jimmy was moving too slow. So, I picked him up. I do it with my dad and he's much heavier than you."

"Not. Helping," Jimmy growled, rolling his eyes. "Jake, I appreciate your help, but I need some ice. The ice maker in my fridge is dead. Can you go down to the bodega on the corner and pick some up?" He reached into his pocket and tossed Jake a twenty.

"But, I'm not supposed to leave Bella alone?" Jake said, his voice torn.

"Am I chopped liver?" Jimmy snorted. "Look, I know your job is to protect my niece. I've got an ebony cane and a shotgun in the closet. If something, heaven forbid, happens to us, I'm covered."

"Jake, it's all good," I whispered. I pleaded with him and he sighed, nodding. He took Jimmy's keys and closed the door behind him. "Do you REALLY need ice, James Swan?"

"I do and you know that fridge is a piece of crap," Jimmy said. "Besides, I want to finish our discussion. In fifteen minutes, either Edward or Emmett are coming to give me an estimate on how much I can sell the place for."

"Nothing and that's too much," I snickered.

"True, but there's some value in it. I may have to renovate, but I can make some money on this place," he shrugged, putting the recliner up and sighing. "Can you grab a pillow off my bed?" I got up and picked up a pillow, stuffing it under his gimpy leg. "Thanks, Bells."

"You're welcome," I said, sitting on the nasty green couch. "Now, tell me. What did my mother want? Did you tell her about my wedding?"

"Do I look stupid?" Jimmy asked wryly. "Of course not. I told her that you were recuperating from pneumonia and you moved out of your apartment due to it being burglarized. Then, she went off on me, saying that you were wasting your father's hard-earned money on a new apartment. She needed that money."

"For what? Edward said she was married to some baseball player," I scoffed.

"She needs the money for a divorce FROM the baseball player. He caught her cheating," Jimmy snickered. "I told her to sell her body. She's already whoring herself out. Have her sugar daddy pay for her divorce, or something."

"Huh," I said, sitting back and crossing my legs. "Serves her right. She's made her bed. She needs to lie in it. And I'm going to say it. My mother is a cunt."

"Don't hold back, Bells," Jimmy snorted. "Anyway, going back to my windfall, now that we're done with the unpleasantness of Renee."

"You know she won't back down," I shrugged.

"Probably not, but we're not in the same place we were in the last time she came for money," Jimmy said, an evil grin spreading over his face. "I can protect you, Bells. That settlement? A portion of it is going to be used to purchase the house for me, Sue and Leah. I'm setting aside a percentage for me to live off of. Edward gave me a name of an excellent financial advisor. I've already set up accounts. I have one set up for me, one for Sue and Leah and the last one, the biggest one, is for you, Bells. I'm no spring chicken, kiddo."

"Shut up, you're young enough," I growled. "And who knows? Maybe you'll reopen the Swan Dive up in our neck of the woods, Jimmy. Don't discount it." I looked at him, furrowing my brow. "How much was that settlement?"

"Twenty-eight million dollars," he said. "I put aside five million for me, three million for Sue and Leah and the rest, it's yours, Bells." My jaw scraped the ground. _Holy fuck._ "Yeah, tell me about it. Jenks said I could have gotten more if I'd gone to trial, but I had no desire to do that. This was more than enough, even too much, but who am I to complain?" Jimmy looked at me, laughing. He put the recliner down, pushing my mouth closed. "You'll catch flies, Bells."

"Holy fuck," I wheezed.

"Tell me about it," he said, making a face. The keys rattled in the door and Jacob came back inside, with Emmett behind him. "I thought Edward was coming, Em."

"He had a meeting he couldn't get out of, Jimmy," Emmett said, shaking his hand. "He'll be pissed knowing that _bambina_ is here and he didn't get to see her."

"I'll see him when I get home," I shrugged. Emmett shook his head and I knew that Edward was dealing with mob business.

"I know that this is well below your pay grade, Emmett, but I want to sell this place," Jimmy said as Jake put the ice underneath Jimmy's calf. "Thanks, Jake."

"He also wants to purchase a place in our subdivision," I said.

"We already have that offer on the table, Bella," Emmett replied. "We're just waiting to hear back from the seller."

"Oh, okay," I said, sitting back on the couch.

"And we can sell this place, but it's not in great condition," Emmett grumbled. "This neighborhood is up and coming, to be honest. I see an investment opportunity."

"What do you mean?" Jimmy asked.

"How many condos are in this building?"

"In this one? Four. One on each floor," Jimmy answered. "The owner has four buildings. This one and the three buildings south of here. He's not great at doing his job. He's an older guy. Older than your dad. Half of the units are empty or in disrepair. Mine is one of the nicer ones."

"I wonder of the guy would be willing to sell?" Emmett mused. "I'd give him a fair offer, rehab all of the units and sell them, bring in some younger owners."

"So, essentially flip the condos?" I said. Emmett nodded. "Is this what you do at work?"

"I usually just buy and sell, never flip. But, this is a lucrative opportunity. Do you have the guy's number?" Emmett asked. Jimmy pointed to the nasty fridge and Emmett whipped out his cell phone. We listened to him speak to the owner. I went into Jimmy's bedroom, pulling out his clothing. Though, the garments in his closet were mainly items he'd wear manning the grill at the Swan Dive. I tossed those clothes into the garbage, keeping a few pairs of jeans, button-down shirts and t-shirts that were not covered with grease splatter.

"Bells?!" Jimmy called. "Stop giving me a makeover."

"I'm just throwing away your shit, Jimmy. Most of this stuff is gear from Swan Dive, covered in grease and smelling like rancid beef."

"I've got news, Bella," Emmett barked. I dragged the garbage filled with Jimmy's clothes, leaving it at the door and sitting down next to Emmett. "David, the owner, is willing to sell. There are a few unit owners who rent their condos, but the rest are vacant, or soon will be." He winked at Jimmy. "Once I finalize my offer, I'll speak with the renters and give them option to purchase their condos or vacate their units. Renting will no longer be an option. I'll help them find new homes if they cannot afford the purchase price, but I'm hoping that renovations will begin after the first of the year."

"Uh, congratulations?" I shrugged.

"Thanks," Emmett said. "Now, what do you want to do with this place, Jimmy?"

"Sell it. I want to build a life with Sue and Leah, close to Edward and Bella," he nodded.

"Then, let's talk numbers," Emmett smirked.

 **EPOV**

I was driving home after a long night down near the docks on Lake Michigan. There was another breach in security. Thankfully, we didn't lose anybody, but the shipment of technology was hijacked by Royce and Stephan's crew. In the warehouse, there was another picture of Rosalie, being taken, sexually, but this time it was clearly without her consent. The fear in her eyes, the bruises on her body and the blood coming from her made me sick. I barked out orders to the guys at the warehouse and was furious at the loss of the technology, disgusted at the calling card left behind.

It was clear we had a rat. Only the people within the inner circle knew about this shipment, but someone within that inner circle passed that information to Royce and Stephan, stealing almost ten million dollars of technology from the Consortium.

My phone rang over my Bluetooth connection. I punched the answer button. "Cullen," I growled.

"What the fuck happened, Edward?" Carlisle hissed. "I just got off the phone with Jasper."

"We've got a fucking rat, Dad," I snapped. "Only our inner circle knew about this delivery and the top-secret location."

"Who is in this inner circle?" Carlisle asked, his voice low and dangerous.

"You, me, Emmett, Jasper, Seth, Felix, Jacob, Billy and Garrett," I answered. "Demetri knew, too, but he took it to the grave."

"Out of those people, who don't you trust? Who would you question their loyalty?" Carlisle sneered.

"None of them …" I trailed off.

"But?"

"I don't know Garrett," I shrugged. "I know he took over for Seth when Emmett had a bitch fest about Seth knowing about Rosalie and her indiscretions."

"This is a clusterfuck, Edward," Carlisle snapped.

"Agreed. What should we do?" I asked.

"When's the next shipment due to arrive?"

"In two weeks, at a warehouse in the northern suburbs," I replied.

"Only tell Emmett, me, Jasper and Billy. As we get closer, we'll hand pick the crew to unload the shipment and deliver it to our buyers," Carlisle said. "Make our inner circle smaller."

"I'm also going to run a background check on Garrett," I said. "Is his file at the office?"

"Emmett has it," Carlisle replied. "He checked out."

"Well, regardless, I want to look it for myself. My wedding is less than three weeks away. I'm ascending to rule the Consortium. I do not want to be perceived as fucking weak." I pinched my nose. "Dad, I'm almost home. I've been up for almost twenty-four hours straight. I've got a meeting tomorrow with some prospective clients who need an investor. I want to go home, make love to Bella and sleep."

"Understandable, Edward. And you're not weak. You're one of the strongest men I know. I raised you that way," Carlisle chuckled. "But, if you get a sketchy feeling about Garrett, will check him out again."

"Finger print him," I growled. "I'll be in touch after my meeting. Love you, Dad."

"Love you more, son."

I pulled into the garage and parked next to my Aston Martin. I dragged my body out of the car, saluting the camera as I passed. It moved, meaning that Jake saw me. I let myself into the house. I went upstairs and found Bella curled up in her reading nook. She blinked up at me, giving me a concerned smile. "I wasn't sure if you were coming home, Mobward," she quipped. She saw my clothes, covered in dirt and grime and her lips curved down. "Did we …? Lose anyone?"

"No, just a shipment," I answered, sitting down next to her. I pulled her to my side, kissing her temple. "We have a rat, Bella. I'm certain of it." My words were slurring from exhaustion.

"Baby, put your head in my lap," she said. "You're tired."

"I want to hold you. I need to hold you," I whispered.

"Let me hold you, Edward," she said, guiding my head onto her lap. Her fingers tangled into my hair and she gently scratched my scalp. I sighed, closing my eyes and falling asleep. When I woke up, I heard Bella speaking on her cell phone. "Emmett, you also own the company. Edward got back just before five. He's still asleep and he's wrecked. You meet with the client. I know you to be a savvy business man. You proved that yesterday with the condo flip thing. Thank you."

"I can go into work," I said, sitting up and rubbing my eyes. "Shit, I slept with my contacts in." I blinked a few times, trying to get the sticky, crummy feeling off my eyeballs. I looked down at my watch. "It's almost eleven! Fuck!" I stumbled out of the reading nook, grimacing as my right foot was asleep.

"Edward," Bella spat, grabbing my belt loop and pulling me back. "Sit your ass down before you break something." She scrambled and straddled my lap.

"But, my meeting," I hissed.

"Is going to be handled by your brother," Bella said. "You got home just before dawn." She traced my nose and caressed just below my eyes. "And I say this with love, Edward. You look like shit."

"Thanks, _dolce,_ " I responded flatly, rolling my eyes, which reminded me that I needed to take out my contact lenses. I got up, holding her in my arms. "I'm going to take these implements of torture out of my eyes, change and go back to bed. Sleeping with my head in your lap was nice, but not very comfortable for an old man like me."

"Are you sore?" she quipped, sliding down my body and kissing my jaw.

"From sleeping and from dealing with the bullshit of last night," I sighed. "I'm …" I wanted to tell her more. I wanted to get her thoughts. _Plausible deniability_ rang in my head. I couldn't …

"I get it, baby," she said, caressing my cheek. "Get some rest. I love you, Mobward. I'm proud of you and I'm so honored to be a part of your life."

I dipped her, kissing her deeply. "Thank you for giving me light in mine. I adore you, _mia cara._ Always." She went downstairs while I went into our bedroom. I threw out my contact lenses, stripped out of my ruined suit and collapsed into the bed, sleep quickly claiming me.

 **BPOV**

Weeks flew by. Edward worked like crazy, only allowing himself that one day of rest after that late night. During those weeks, I had my final dress fitting and we finalized everything for the wedding. In addition to that, we prepared for Edward's ascension ceremony, which was to be held at the house, with all of senior members of the Cullen Consortium, the afternoon before our wedding. I helped Esme plan the ascension ceremony, which was usually only for family. Technically, I wasn't family and shouldn't be allowed, but Edward bitched, saying that I was important to the ceremony.

So, I was allowed in.

And suffice it to say, I was thrust into the mob life, head-first.

There were so many intricacies in the ceremony. And as Edward had said, I was important. I was the one who had to slice his hand open so he could take his blood oath, placing his signet ring on his right hand, pledging his allegiance to the family.

I prayed I wouldn't pass out. Blood made me queasy.

The morning of our rehearsal, I got ready with Esme. She was preparing me to be welcomed into the family. I was sitting in her bedroom, my hair being curled and makeup applied by a glam squad, as Esme called it.

"Do you have any questions about the ascension ceremony?" she asked as her hair was pinned up.

"How do I not throw up when I use that knife to cut open Edward's hand?" I whimpered. "Isn't it going to hurt?"

"It will, but all of the men do it when they pledge their loyalty," Esme said. "After your wedding, we will have an ascension ceremony for Jasper, Emmett and anyone else who Edward wants to be in his inner circle."

"Have they flushed out the informant?" I asked.

"Not yet. They're still running a full background check on Garrett, but our police contact is bogged down with other work, not relevant to our position," Esme shrugged.

"Are you worried? I mean, every time Edward leaves, I freak out," I whispered. "Don't you feel that way about Carlisle?"

"All the time, sweetie. But, Edward, Carlisle, even Emmett, they are well-trained to handle anything. They're strong fighters, wicked smart and can maintain a cool head under pressure. Edward is probably the best out of the three," she said, taking my hand. "My son is brilliant, but deadly. He's got this switch where he can turn off his emotions."

"I've never seen that," I muttered.

"Pray you don't have to," Esme said. "Carlisle has it, too. It's what makes them so effective as leaders. I've only ever seen it once and it scared the crap out of me, but it was warranted. It was the day that Edward Senior was murdered. My loving husband went from the man you know, to a killing machine and it didn't turn off until Edward Senior was avenged."

"Holy crap," I breathed.

"Exactly," Esme chuckled darkly. "This is a scary world, but you, my dear, bring a light into it that not many can. You remind me of Nonni, Edward's grandmother. Her name was Elizabeth and she was very much like you. She could calm the monster within her husband, her son and her grandson, with a tender smile and her gnocchi."

"I'm still working on that latter," I laughed nervously.

"It's all the wrist," Esme giggled. "Come, it's time to get dressed." She got up and walked to her closet, pulling out a garment bag. She unzipped it with a flourish, revealing a lacy red cocktail dress. It was sexy, but very elegant. "Red is a color of power, strength, love, passion, and blood. It holds a great deal of importance in our family. The mate, the wife of the man ascending into his position as the head of the family wears red, signifying your bond to him and to your family. It is paired with black, which is also associated with power and elegance. I wear the opposite, a dress of black with accessories in blue, the color of trust, loyalty, wisdom, faith and intelligence."

"It's beautiful," I breathed.

"It was mine when I attended Carlisle's ascension," Esme said. "I've had it redesigned, just for you. Lauren worked her ass off."

"Esme, I … I don't … thank you," I stammered out. "I truly don't …"

"Bella, you are my daughter. Tomorrow, you will be married to my son. We are family and there is nothing I wouldn't do for you," Esme breathed, hugging me gently. "I love you, darling girl." With a kiss to my cheek, she pulled me into the bathroom and helped me into the beautiful dress. On my feet, I wore black stilettos and the black diamond jewelry that I'd received from Edward the night we went to Bound and Gagged. "One more thing, Isabella, daughter of my heart. You already bare the mark of a Cullen, in the ring you wear and the tattoo on your ribcage. But, this signifies your standing as Edward's wife, and as his other half. Women, we're revered in the Mafia culture, but you are of utmost importance, being Edward's wife, mother to his children and his life-long partner. Divorce … it rarely happens."

"But, Emmett …?"

"Emmett and Rosalie were poorly matched and Emmett was not the next in line for succession," Esme said, arching a brow. "Edward needed to be married in order to ascend. He's engaged to you and tonight, he takes the reins of the largest mob families outside of Italy. You will be loved, hated, coveted and feared Isabella. Don't let that break you and Edward apart. My son, while strong and proud, will not succeed without you by his side."

I laughed nervously. "No pressure …"

Esme smiled, hugging me again. "You're more than capable of doing this, Bella. I've already seen a change in him. One for the better. Now, let's head down to the ceremony. It's nearly time."

 **EPOV**

I was in my father's office, sipping brandy with my father, Anthony, Emmett, Jasper and Billy. It was nearly time for my ascension. I was dressed in a black suit, with a blood-red tie and a specially made Cullen crest tie clip and cuff links. Outside, lingering in the foyer and kitchen, were our closest friends, families and allies. All in all, there were about fifty people in attendance for my ascension as the head of the Cullen Consortium.

"The baton is being passed today," Carlisle chuckled, swirling his drink. "To my oldest son."

"I hope I'm ready," I sighed, taking a hefty drink of my brandy.

"Edward, you're more than ready. You've been taking point on so many things, essentially running the family for the past couple of years," Carlisle said. "It's now official."

"Or will be official," Emmett retorted. "To my brother, the head of the family."

"To our leader," Anthony smiled, clinking his glass with mine. "The rightful leader."

"Our brother and friend," Jasper smirked, "who sucks at poker."

"Uh, that would be you, Jasper," I chided. "You still owe a thousand bucks."

"Fucker," Jasper grumbled, wrinkling his nose.

"I had the honor of working with Carlisle, one of the most successful leaders of the Cullen Consortium," Billy said reverently. "He provided for my family, helped me when I was in need and gave me a chance when my body couldn't perform its duties. I'm looking forward to working with Edward. I'm not a fortune teller by any stretch of the imagination, but I can tell that under his leadership and guidance, the family will continue to thrive, grow and flourish. It will be an honor to serve you both."

Carlisle checked his watch. "It's time. Gentleman, if you could go into the dining room? I'd like a moment with my son." They all left and my father finished his drink. "I'm proud of you, Edward."

"I hope I continue in your path, Dad," I whispered.

"You will," Carlisle said. "I didn't have this moment with my father at my ascension. He was already dead, killed by Aro Volturi. But, listen to me. You may be the head of the family, but your wife, is the head of your household and of your heart. Cherish her. Love her. There's a reason why it's integral for the head of the family should be married …"

"I'm not married, Dad. Not yet. Tomorrow," I smirked.

He gave me a playful glower. "Edward, a strong woman keeps you grounded. She wields as much power as you do. With Bella, she's a force, but she's so good. So much like my _mamma mia_ ," Carlisle breathed. "Love her. Always."

"Until I die," I said. "She's it for me."

"Good," he replied, hugging me tightly. "I love you, Edward."

I embraced him, allowing myself to be comforted by my father one last time before I assumed the head of the family and I'd be the one everyone would turn to. "I love you, Dad. Thank you …"

He pulled back, kissing both of my cheeks and cupped my face. "Your turn, son. Let's get you some power."

We shook hands and walked to the dining room. The curtains were closed and there were candles it all around. The large rectangular table had been removed and was replaced with a massive round one. Standing around the table, my inner circle of Jasper, my capo, Emmett, my brother, Anthony, my cousin and dear friend, Jacob, the man destined to protect my wife, and Isabella, my best friend, my lover and soon, my wife, stood proudly. Bella was in front of a silver chalice, dressed in a sexy red dress, wearing the diamonds I'd purchased for her. Around her thigh, I saw holster with a wicked blade. I gulped, trying not to think what she was going to do to the blade.

My father stood opposite of Bella, with my mother standing next to him. The doors closed to the dining room and I made my way next to my fiancée.

"Today is a day of celebration," Carlisle intoned. "A day of recognition and of power. Today, my oldest son ascends to the head of the family. I've led the Cullen Consortium for twenty years. I'm an old man, thrust into the position after my father's untimely demise. I was groomed for the position, but I never felt ready. You never do, my son. I still don't feel ready and I'm passing the reins to you. What guides you is your instinct, your control, your wife, your _familigia._ Family above all else, Edward."

"Above everything," I murmured. I took Bella's hand and she smiled, twining our fingers together.

"Surrounding this table are the people you feel you trust the most, your inner circle. Who do you choose to be your _capo_ _bastone_? Your second in command?"

"Jasper Whitlock," I answered.

"Jasper, do you accept your assignment from your _capo_ _di tutti capi?_ " Carlisle asked.

" _Con il mio sangue e la mia vita_ ," Jasper replied. "With my blood and my life." He sliced his palm open and squeezed his blood into the chalice in front of me. "Who will be your consigliere? Your advisor, your right-hand man?" Carlisle questioned. " _Mio fratello,_ Emmett McCarty Cullen," I smiled, giving my brother a smile. "Emmett, do you accept your assignment from your _capo di tutti capi?_ " Carlisle breathed. " _Con il mio sangue e la mia vita_ ," he nodded. "With my blood and my life." Emmett repeated the action with his blade, adding his blood into the mix. My father did that for all of my inner circle and they all pledged their vows, mixing their blood together in the chalice. "Isabella Marie Swan, it is now your turn to complete the ascension," Carlisle said. "Thank you," she said quietly. "Carlisle Masoni Cullen, you've acted as the head of the Cullen Consortium for twenty years. Do you willingly and freely give the leadership to your oldest son, Edward Anthony Masoni Cullen?" "With my blood and my life," he replied. He slipped of his signet ring handing it to my mother. Mom walked it over to Bella, who placed inside the chalice. Carlisle stood next to my fiancée, holding out his hand. "I bestow the power of the family to my son." Bella pulled out the blade and quickly cut his hand. He held it over the chalice. He took my hand, kissing my knuckles before walking back to his spot opposite me. "Edward Anthony Masoni Cullen, do you accept the position of being _capo di tutti capi_ of the Cullen Consortium, protecting what is yours with your blood, your life and your love?" Bella asked. "I will," I replied. "Do you vow loyalty to your allies, coming to their aide when called?" she pressed. "I will," I nodded, staring into her eyes. "Do you promise to value your family above all else, now and until you are no longer on this world?" she whispered. "I will," I said. "Will you love your wife, your children and your family, now and until you are no longer on this world?" she asked, her eyes shimmering with tears. "And for a lot longer," I smiled, wiping a stray tear away. I wanted to say more, but it would not be appropriate. "Your hand, Mr. Cullen," she said. I raised my hand, holding it out. She quickly cut it and held it over the chalice. "Repeat the vow of the Cullen Consortium."

" _Il sangue della mia famiglia scorre attraverso di me e farò di tutto per proteggerli e onorarli,"_ I said reverently as I held my hand over the chalice. She reached inside, pulling out the signet ring. It was covered in our blood. She wiped it with a red napkin before sliding it onto my right hand. Pouring some red wine into the chalice, I picked it up and drank it, sealing the blood oath with my blood brothers, passing it to Jasper, then Emmett and it, ending with Bella, who finished it.

"To the _capo di tutto capi_ of the Cullen Consortium," Carlisle cheered. Applause filled the room and I smiled, sliding my arms around my fiancée. Bella snuggled against me, her hands pressed against my chest. I cupped her chin, kissing her lips tenderly and allowing her softness to calm me down. My father laughed. "It would appear my son and your new Boss is anxious to enjoy his wedding. Let's head to the church for the rehearsal and we can celebrate his ascension at the rehearsal dinner."

"Come, _cara_ , we're going without everyone. I need a few moments with my future wife," I smirked. "We'll meet you there." The door opened and everyone filed out, getting into waiting limos, and bullet-proof SUVs. Jacob hovered nearby, driving us in our own limo. In the room, Bella went through and blew out the candles. She also threw open the curtains, allowing the sunny day to fill the room. Picking up another napkin, she wrapped it around my still bleeding palm. "Thank you, love."

"I didn't like that blood nonsense," she shuddered. "And when your mom told me that I had to drink it?" She made a face. "I get the symbolism, but gross." She picked up the red wine bottle, drinking directly from it. "Not much better, but …"

"Give me some of that, Mrs. Cullen," I admonished, taking the bottle from her.

"I'm not Mrs. Cullen yet," she teased. "Tomorrow. I'll be the one in white." She tugged on my uninjured hand. "Come on, Capo, we've got a rehearsal to get through, along with a dinner and then sexual debauchery. I blame Lauren. It's all her fault."

"Just like my bachelor party is all Emmett," I snorted. "The sooner we get through this, the quicker our wedding day will arrive, Mrs. Cullen."

 **BPOV**

After the rehearsal, the following dinner and some needy make out sessions with my fiancé, I was pulled away from the party and driven back to the house. Lauren, my devious dress designer, had taken it upon herself to throw me another sexy lingerie party. This time, it was being held at my own home, with everyone purchasing the lingerie for me. Felix, who had decided not to partake in the rehearsal festivities, had helped with the set-up of the party. He would also act as protection during the party, if something were to happen.

He may not be able to fight, but he was still a killer shot and still held loyalty for the Cullen Consortium.

I changed out of my dress and into a pair shorts and one of Edward's t-shirts. Lauren rolled her eyes. "Really, Bella?"

"What? My fiancé spending the night at his parents' house. I miss him and I want to be close to him. I'm not going to keep wearing my dress when I'm home with my best girlfriends," I snickered. "Tomorrow, I'm wearing a stiff, albeit _gorgeous_ dress. I'm relishing in not wearing a bra and smelling my fiancé's shirt while we're separated."

"Okay, okay," Lauren snickered. "Come on! Bree is almost set up. We've got tons of goodies to buy for you. Edward will blow his load with all of the sexy, lacy things you're getting. Plus, all of the toys? Hmmmhmmm. AWESOME!"

"Are you speaking from experience?" I quipped as we went downstairs, settling onto the leather couches in the family room.

"Maybe," Lauren sang, sitting down next to me and handing me glass, undoubtedly filled with some alcohol. I arched a brow and she nodded. "Oh, my God, yes! Emmett and I … we're … it's fucking amazing."

"You're officially a couple?" I asked.

Lauren nodded excitedly. "I know that his ex-wife really fucked him over, but we're taking it slowly. We haven't made love yet, but we've done _other_ things."

"None of which I want to know," Esme snorted. "He's still my baby boy, no matter how old he is, just like Edward, too."

"And yet, you wanted to pack my luggage for my honeymoon," I teased, tossing a cookie toward Esme. "That's not awkward."

"Hmmm, true," Esme giggled, sipping her drink. "I don't want to know about my son's sex lives, but I do want grandbabies. And grandbabies come from sex, you know."

Lauren and I smirked, clinking our glasses. "Birth control," we snickered. Esme scowled. I continued. "Esme, you'll get your grandbabies, but keep in mind that I'm still a student. Once we get back from wherever we go for our honeymoon, I start back at Northwestern to continue my master's degree. I'm already over a year behind because of my bout with pneumonia last year. You'll get your grandchildren. I promise."

"Okay, okay," Esme sighed. "I know your education is important and I value that. You're a smart girl, Bella. Wiser beyond your years, to be honest. Edward smart in choosing you."

"He had to chase me a bit, but I'm happy I let him get me," I smiled. "Now, who's buying me sexy things for my future husband?"

"Anything your heart desires, Bella," Alice chirped. "I've got my credit card. Edward won't know what hit him!"

"Bree! Let's get the show on the road," Lauren yelled. With that, my bachelorette party began and we played a drinking game while Bree showed various different lingerie and sexy outfits. Anytime we saw a thong, we had to take a shot. When Esme said something that hinted to grandchildren, we'd had to take TWO shots. Finally, when the sex toys came out, we had to take three shots for any demonstration that included a vibrator. I was completely hammered and had enough lingerie, sex toys and lube to last me for years. I dragged my body up to my room and curled up, holding the pillow that Edward normally slept on. With a sigh, I fell asleep, dreaming of forever with _Capo._

 **EPOV**

We were up in the VIP lounge of Bound and Gagged. Mike and Tyler had gone all out for us, decorating the room for my bachelor party. On stage, there were women dancing and demonstrating whipping techniques, while scantily clad waitresses wandered around the room with trays of shots, food and cigars. I wasn't paying attention to the women, just sitting in a booth and relishing in the celebration. Anthony and Emmett were sitting with me while some of the other guys were flirting with girls serving us.

"How does it feel to be the Boss?" Anthony asked, sipping his drink. "Does it feel any different?"

"Not really," I shrugged. "I mean, the only thing that's different is a new scar for my collection and this fancy ring."

"A ring with a GPS tracker in it," Carlisle said. "I had it added when it was sized for you. It was one of the last assignments Demetri did for me before he was killed."

I looked down at the ring on my right hand. It was solid gold with the signet of the Cullen family on it. "How?"

"Just underneath the lion, we added the tracker. He was getting worn down and I had the face of the ring remade for you," Carlisle nodded. "It's the most powerful GPS tracker on the market. Everyone in the family now has one."

"Bella, too?" I asked.

"In her bracelet that your mother gave her," my father responded. "You're the head of the family, Edward. Everyone is going to turn to you."

"I hope I can be as successful as you, Dad," I said.

"You already are, son," he chuckled. "Now, I'm old and decrepit. This is definitely NOT my scene. I'm going to head to home and get some sleep. Tomorrow's a big day, son. Your wedding day!"

"I'd figured you'd be more excited for the ascension ceremony," I quipped.

"I am and I was, but my job is complete. I get to relax and have fun," he snickered.

"I'm like Uncle Carl, but not as ancient. I think he had a pet dinosaur," Anthony teased. Carlisle rolled his eyes. "I'll head back with you. Seeing all of this sexual debauchery has made me horny for my sexy wife."

"Go get laid, jack ass," I laughed. "That's my plan for tomorrow."

"No, you're making love to your wifey, Edwardo," Anthony crooned. "The days of fucking are now over, man."

"Says who?" Carlisle smirked. "Cover your ears, son."

"Dad, I know you and Mom have sex. Emmett and I are proof," I chuckled.

"Your mother is the pervy one and we fuck. Often," Carlisle sang. "And on that note … I've scarred my oldest child." He kissed my cheek and left with Anthony. I sat there, blinking and trying NOT to picture my parents fucking.

"Dude, I'm in the same boat," Emmett choked out. "I could have gone a whole lifetime of knowing about our parents' sex lives. I'm so fucking grossed out, Edward. There are things we should NEVER know."

"Yeah," I nodded. "I'm going to go to the bathroom and call my girl. I'll be back in a little bit, Em. We may need to wrap things up soon." I looked around and saw some of the guys getting sloppy. "Can you take care of that, Em?"

"Got it, Boss," he smirked, giving me a salute.

I finished my drink and went to the bathrooms on the VIP level. I wrinkled my nose, stopping one of the waitresses. "Where are the other bathrooms? These are closed," I grumbled.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Cullen. There was a situation with the plumbing," she said. "The upper floors are closed due to your party and only Mr. Newton and Mr. Crowley have those keys. You'll have to use the bathrooms on the main level. Take the elevator down and it'll be down the hallway to your left."

"Thank you," I sighed, turning on my heel and heading to the elevator. I stabbed the button to the main level, riding down to the loud club. With a sigh, I walked down to the bathroom and slipped inside. I quickly relieved myself and as I was washing my hands, I heard the door open. I was ripped back from the sink and I felt a pinprick in my neck. Blackness ringed around my eyes and I struggled. "No!" A dark chuckle met my ears as I slumped, falling into unconsciousness.

 **A/N: And we've made it to the climax, kids. Sorry about the cliffhanger, but this was ALWAYS planned this way. I'm warning you … the next chapter or two may be bloody and quite graphic. With that being said, I'm already working on the next chapter. I'm hoping to have the next update sooner rather than later.**

 **Now, pictures of the ascension ceremony are on my blog, along with pictures of how Edward and Bella look. You can find a link for that on my profile. I'm also on Facebook: Tufano79's Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation. Twitter, too: tufano79.**

 **Leave me some loving. Thank you for reading!**


	26. Chapter 26

**So, none of this is mine. I wrote the first chapter for a contest and now, I'm expanding it. What I own … a condo and too many books. What I don't … _Twilight_ and all its characters.**

 **And we've made it to the climax, kids. Sorry about the cliffhanger, but this was ALWAYS planned this way. I'm warning you … the next chapter or two may be bloody and quite graphic.**

 ***Violence Warning*  
*Angst Warning***

 **Chapter Twenty-Six**

 **BPOV**

I was being shaken hard. My head was pounding from my killer hangover from drinking too many margaritas yesterday and I just wanted to sleep. "Fuck off," I grumbled, curling around Edward's pillow.

"Bella, wake up," Alice hissed. "Something's happened."

I opened my eyes and saw her terrified face. "What do you mean?" I asked, rubbing my face. "I'm … I'm still drunk, I think."

"Go brush your teeth, wash your face and meet us downstairs, Bells," Alice commanded. She looked at me, her eyes swirling with fear. "And get dressed." She hopped out of the bed and I looked at the clock. It was just after two in the morning. I was supposed to be up in five hours to be beautified by the glam squad for my wedding. I padded to the bathroom and did as Alice asked, tossing my curled hair up into a ponytail. When I was done with that, I pulled on a pair of yoga pants and one of Edward's dress shirts. I yawned, carrying a pair of sneakers downstairs. I was shocked.

There was a full house. None of them from the party the night before, save for Alice and Esme. Jasper and Emmett were speaking with Carlisle, who was pacing frantically. "What's going on?"

"Bella," Esme cried, getting up and hugging me tightly. "My sweet girl."

I awkwardly accepted her hug, but pulled back. "What the fuck is going on here? Where's Edward?"

"Bambina, I need you to listen to everything before you fly off the handle," Emmett said slowly. I crossed my arms, anger seeping out of me. "While at his bachelor party, Edward was taken."

"WHAT?!" I screamed. I flew to Emmett and started pounding on him. "You're his brother! You were supposed to protect him! WHERE THE FUCK IS MY FIANCE?!"

"We don't know, but we're working on it," Emmett said, holding me in his arms, pulling me close and his voice cracking.

"Tell me what happened," I hissed, shoving away from him.

"Dad had just left with Anthony, to go back to their place in the city. He'd just shared some rather disturbing information about … well, it doesn't really matter now … and Edward said he had to go to the bathroom. Anyway, the bathrooms on the VIP level were under construction or closed for whatever reason. That's what the waitress said. Edward went down to the main level to go to the bathroom. I noticed that he was gone for a long time. Too long, if you asked me. Even if he was taking a shit."

"Emmett," Carlisle growled, narrowing his eyes at his son.

"What?" Emmett retorted.

"KEEP. GOING," I commanded, slugging his arm.

"Sorry," he said. "I ran into the waitress who told Edward about the issue with the bathroom and I went downstairs with Jasper. We got into the bathroom and there was evidence of a struggle. The mirror was broken and we found a couple of things on the ground."

"What?" I whispered.

Emmett reached into his pocket and pulled out a plastic bag. Inside, there was a hypodermic needle and one of Edward's cufflinks. "We think that Edward was drugged and taken away. We're working on his location, but the tech who installed the GPS tracking device in Edward's ring hadn't calibrated it correctly."

My stomach fell to my feet and I felt sick. "Do you know who?" I cried, my finger running over the oval of his cufflink.

"Everyone was accounted for but one person," Jasper growled. "Garrett was gone."

"Edward mentioned that he didn't trust Garrett," I sneered, shooting up and glowering out the window, staring at the well-lit path to the dock. "Nothing came back on his background check."

"You didn't have his fingerprints," Anthony said. "He gave a fake name, fake social security number to a man who had died almost a year ago." He turned his computer around and showed us a picture of a handsome older man, but it wasn't Emmett's bodyguard. "Whoever this guy is, he's good or he has people who are doing this dirty work for him. If I hadn't done some further digging, I would have missed it, too."

"Do you know his real name?" I asked, trying not to cry. _Stay strong, Bella. For Edward._

"According to his fingerprints on file, his real name is Vladimir. He's wanted by Interpol on sex trafficking charges in the Ukraine," Anthony said, pulling up the information.

"How did you not catch this?" I sneered at Emmett. "He was your bodyguard."

"We run thorough background checks, Bella," Emmett answered. "His paperwork and information that I received was legit. We sent off his fingerprints to Claire, but she's been inundated with some huge case and hasn't had a chance to run them."

"Is Claire as trustworthy as you think she is? She could have been in on this," I snapped, standing up and staring out the window, looking at the lake. "Edward was so sure there was an informant and there was. Someone who sat at this table, who was a part of our family. Now, because of that rat, my fiancé is missing. Who the fuck knows what's happening to him?" I turned, glaring at my family and so angry at how my Edward was betrayed. "I want … no, I need to … what can I do? I need to make this right."

"Edward wouldn't want you involved," Carlisle said, his voice ice-cold.

"Fuck that. I'm involved. I shared in that blood oath yesterday. I gave him part of myself and he's my fiancé. No, he's my fucking husband. I'm involved and I want to be there to end this. To kill those motherfuckers who stole my husband away the day before our GOD DAMNED WEDDING!" I screamed. I took a breath and gripped the edge of the counter. "What can I do?"

"Claim rite of vengeance," Anthony answered. "On whoever did this, you claim rite of vengeance."

"Fine, I claim rite of vengeance on that Garrett douche, or Vladimir, whatever the fuck his name is," I snapped. "Can I kill him now?"

"We have to find him first. Billy and Seth are working on locating the GPS tracker in his ring," Carlisle answered. "Bella, I know you're upset. You have every right to be. But, you have to stay strong and stay focused. We managed to stay under the radar for so long because we do not take the law into our own hands."

"How can you be so cold about this?" I growled. "This is your son. The man who you just handed over the power of the entire Cullen family … holy shit, it's Stephan and Royce. Garrett or Vladimir or whatever was working for them!"

"It would make sense, Carlisle," Jasper muttered.

Carlisle narrowed his eyes at me, his glare frigid and angry. He turned on his heel and stomped away, muttering in Italian. Jasper followed him, along with Emmett. Anthony hugged me, but I didn't return it. I was too upset. My Edward … he was taken. My worst nightmare was coming true.

"Bella?" came the tentative voice of Esme. I turned and looked at her, trying to keep my emotions at bay, but failing miserably. She hugged me. "It'll be okay, sweetie."

"Will it?" I croaked. "Garrett or Vladimir, he took Edward. What …"

"Do you remember what I said? That coldness you see, that you felt? That's how we'll get Edward back," Esme said, caressing my hair. She looked at me. "I know you can be that way, Bella. Yes, you are kind and good, but you need to be strong. If you're are going in, claiming rite of vengeance, you need to adopt that harshness. Be cold. Be calculating." She took my face in her hands, tears brimming in her eyes. "Bring back my son. Take your rite of vengeance. Kill those fuckers who stole him away from us, from you."

"I will, Esme," I nodded, a few tears falling from my eyes.

"Not Esme. Mom," she said, gripping me tightly and we fell apart together.

We stayed that way until we heard Billy cheer. "WE GOT A SIGNAL!"

 **EPOV**

I moaned, my tongue feeling thick and my head was throbbing. I didn't drink that much. I wanted to be focused for my wedding, but I wasn't in my condo. I was standing up, my arms hitched above me and it was hot, stifling hot. I blinked open my eyes and tried to focus my vision on something familiar. It was too dark. I looked up and saw that I was chained to some massive pipe in the center of a cavernous room. Above the pipe, there was a bright overhead light. My body was stripped of my suit coat and dress shirt. I wore just a white undershirt and my suit pants, my feet barely touching the ground.

"Took you long enough," said the heavily accented voice of my captor. "I didn't even give you that much sedative." I didn't respond, only adjusted my hands from feeling the sharp cutting of the handcuffs around my wrists. "Nothing to say, Mr. Cullen?" I listened to his footsteps. They were heavy. "Hmmm, so it would seem. Do you know where we're at?"

I stared in the direction of the voice, not responding. With a snarl, I felt a powerful blow to my stomach and I coughed, feeling my ribs crack under the force of the hit. Another hit crashed against my jaw and my head flew back. My head, which was already fuzzy, was even hurting more. I shook my head, spitting out blood from a cut on my cheek from my teeth breaking the skin.

"You are so fucking weak," said my captor. "Look around, Mr. Cullen. The great leader of the Cullen Consortium. What a fucking joke. Where are we?!"

I did as he asked, looking around me and I didn't recognize the location. I only saw the circle of light around me, filled with spatters of my blood and sweat. I adjusted myself, standing up taller and glaring back in the direction of the voice. I turned off my emotions, preparing for the worst, but calculating for the best.

"Strong and silent type. It'll make when I fuck you over even better when I hear you scream," he growled.

"Vladimir, shut up!" came another voice. A voice I recognized. I blinked over to that one and watched as a shadow appeared to my right and invaded my space. "Hello, nephew. I hear congratulations are in order. My dear brother finally allowed you to ascend to be the leader. Congratulations!"

I smirked and finally opened my mouth. "It's more than you're ever going to get, Uncle. You have to work with a partner. Russians? The Bratva doesn't take kindly to two-timing losers like you."

"I don't want to hurt my blood … but, I will," he growled, reaching under his shirt and producing a gun. His hands were shaking. His eyes were glazed over and high. He was a loose cannon. I had to play this right. I didn't want another gunshot wound.

"Okay, Uncle Stephan," I said. He nodded, putting the gun back in his pants.

"You know what would make things even easier. I'll even let you go in time for your fucking wedding," Stephan snorted. "Give me power over the Consortium. I'm a Cullen, just like you."

"No," I answered. "I'm not giving it up." _And you're not a fucking Cullen, you moron. You're a Romani._

"So, proud," Stephan growled. "Just like your father, my pain-in-the-ass brother." He walked away, pinching his nose. He reminded me of my father with that action, but he was so opposite of my dad. My dad was calm, cool, collected and able to lead a group of people. Stephan, not so much. Stephan was cruel, to his wife, to his children. Anthony was more of a Cullen than his father. "I could make your life easier. You could be at your wedding. A little bruised, but alive. You want to have that long life, right? You want to fuck your pretty little wife?" He grinned evilly. "Maybe Vladdy can fuck her for you. He's had a hard-on for her since he saw her."

"No one touches her," I sneered. "If you had any sort of honor, you'd remember that women are cherished, never to be touched in violence."

"They are just pussies to be fucked and receptacles for babies. They're nothing," he snapped. "Isabella will get what's coming to her."

"Not if I kill you first," I growled. Stephan looked back at me and his eyes were unhinged. He shrugged, waving his hand and walked away. I rolled my eyes, but I was punched, hit in the sweet spot, knocking me out. Again.

 **BPOV**

I managed to doze off. Billy, Jasper and Emmett worked on localizing the signal where Edward was being held. However, the signal was constantly moving. It would appear that Edward was in some sort of vehicle. It was heading south and west. That was the last I heard before I drifted back asleep, still hungover and angry.

I woke up a little after eight, padding to the kitchen. I made some coffee. Esme was on the phone, speaking quietly. I put a cup of coffee in front of her. She hung up and gave me a concerned smile. "I've spoken to the church, the glam squad, and the reception hall. I told them that the wedding is postponed."

"I hadn't even thought about that," I said, my heart shattering. "What about Uncle Jimmy? Lauren?"

"Uncle Jimmy is on his way here. Jasper made the decision to tell him about Edward's abduction," Esme said.

"Was that wise?" I whispered, gripping my coffee mug.

"Jimmy lived with us for almost six months, Bella. He knew something was up. He also saw Carlisle come home from a particularly bloody incident. They shared a look and Jimmy nodded. He knows, Bella. He asked me and I told him what I could. Carlisle filled him in on the rest." I blinked, shocked that my uncle knew about the Cullen Consortium. He didn't say anything about it. "Bella, don't be upset with us, or your uncle. He figured it out. Seeing my husband covered in some other man's blood just solidified his theories."

"Bells?" came the worried voice of my uncle. I looked up and he limped to me. He pulled me into his arms. "It's okay, sweet girl."

"He's gone, Jimmy," I sobbed. "Some monster, some man took him from his bachelor party. They drugged him and dragged him away. This is my worst nightmare. What happens? What if I lose him?"

"Edward will fight the devil himself to be with you, Bells," Jimmy whispered, kissing my forehead. "He loves you so much."

"But, not if he's drugged, Jimmy," I sniffled. Jimmy sat down with me on the couch, holding me close to his side.

"No matter what, sweet girl. I'm by your side. I love you. You're so strong and so brave," Jimmy whispered soothingly. He wiped my tears away, cupping my chin. "Now, you've taken care of me. Let me help you. When did you eat last?"

"I'm not hungry, Uncle Jimmy," I said, wrinkling my nose. He arched a brow and he got up, hobbling to the kitchen. He began working in it, whipping up a breakfast to end all breakfasts. Everyone stopped what they were doing. Jimmy made me a plate, gesturing to the island for everyone to help themselves. The scent of pancakes, eggs, bacon and sausages made my stomach growl. I picked at my food, forcing it down. I didn't taste it, but I was grateful for the nutrition.

Shortly before two, which is when I should have been at a church, dressed in white and preparing to walk down the aisle, Billy clapped his hands. "He stopped moving. He's at a warehouse in Darien," he said.

"Send out a preliminary team," Carlisle said, his voice ice cold. "Jacob, Seth, you lead them."

"Got it, sir," Seth nodded.

"Jasper, Emmett, Anthony, change into something more comfortable. Load up," he said. Looking to me, he narrowed his eyes. "My son said that you're a dead shot."

"My dad taught me," I said.

"All black, boots and pull your hair back," Carlisle grunted, stomping away. "Jas, find her a bullet-proof vest and weaponry."

"Understood, sir," Jasper replied. "Come on, Bella." I followed him upstairs and he went into the closet. He found a pair of black jeans, a tight black shirt and my pair of hiking boots.

"Why do you call him sir? Not Boss?" I asked.

"Edward's the Boss," Jasper said. "I should be leading this whole thing, but as a sign of respect, we're allowing Carlisle to lead this op since it's Edward that's …" He looked at me, his eyes swirling with concern. He took my hands and knelt down in front of me. I was sitting on the bench at the foot of our bed. "Edward is tough."

"What if they kill him, Jasper?" I hissed. "I just found him. Today – it's our wedding day and my fiancé is gone. He's abducted." I felt tears streaming down my face. "I want my happily ever after, Jas. I finally found it, with Edward."

"And you'll have it, Bella," he said, kissing my hands. "Now, my suggestion to you is to braid your hair, tucking it up. Also, you're angry. Use that anger. It focuses you."

"The only thing that focuses me is Edward," I sniffled.

"Then focus on getting your happily ever after," he said. "Get dressed and meet me in Edward's office. We'll get you set up for battle." I nodded and he turned to leave. I changed into the clothes, braiding my hair and twisting it into bun, pinning it up. I tied my shoes and went into Edward's office. Jasper wrapped me into a tight, heavy Kevlar vest. He handed me some fingerless gloves. "Helps with the sweat while handling guns. Don't put them on until we get closer to the where Edward's being held." He also handed me a small ear piece. "We'll be connected. Felix will be with us, manning the comm from the SUV."

"Okay," I said, tucking it into my ear. He went over how to use it and I was able to hear all of the guys as they got ready. "Now, what about weapons? I don't want to go in ill-equipped to take these fuckers down."

He gave me a grim look, handing me two thigh holsters, filled with semi-automatic hand guns. I also had a Bowie knife strapped to my leg and several magazines of bullets stuffed into the pockets of my vest. "You run out of ammo, you turn tail and head back to the SUV. Edward would kill us if he knew you were unarmed, sent into slaughter." He looked at me and his slate blue eyes stared into mine. He picked up my hands, gripping my fingers. "Will you kill for The Boss?"

"Yes," I whispered, without doubt and strength in my voice.

"Show me your hands," he said. I held them up and he stared at them. "No shaking. No trembling. No fear." He blinked up at me. "No emotion. Understood?" I nodded. "And take off your engagement ring. The sparkle from the diamond will …" I gulped and slipped it off. I left him, putting the ring inside of my jewelry box. I blew out a breath, racing down the stairs. Carlisle was dressed in all black, barking orders to everyone. Jasper gave me a grim smile as I stood next to him. "Those _stronzo_ will not know what hit them," he whispered to me.

"Hell, hath no fury like a woman scorned," I sneered.

"Ain't that the truth," Jasper quipped darkly. "Let's get The Boss. You have a wedding to attend."

We clambered into the car and made our way out of the city, toward the suburb of Darien. Just off I-55 and Lemont Road, there were several warehouses. Some were abandoned, victims of the recent recession. Others were filled with booming businesses. I knew, for a fact, that one of Edward's legitimate businesses was based out one of these buildings.

"We're closing in on the location, Jasper," Felix said from his perch in the backseat. He held a laptop on his lap and pulled up some picture. "It's the furthest warehouse. It used to be owned by The Boss, but he sold it when the company went belly-up. Something about cheating their customers and gouging their prices."

"The company or the warehouse?" I asked.

"Both," Felix answered. "Boss was adamant on maintaining a stellar reputation as a venture capitalist. When the company began to have issues, he offered to buy them out to try and save the company, but instead, he got rid of his share of the stock, selling it to the lowest bidder, along with the building, too. He took a loss on it, but recouped pretty quickly, aligning with the company's rivals."

"Did anyone lose jobs?" I questioned.

"Of course," Jasper answered. "But, some were created, too. The owner of the company wouldn't listen to reason and it was his own downfall. Plus, the numerous allegations of sexual harassment against him didn't help, either."

"Well, fuck," I snorted. "This place sounds like a real winner."

"Turn left up here, Jasper," Felix instructed. "Down the road and it's the last building on the right. It's been abandoned for a couple of years now."

The sun was sinking low in the sky, the beginnings of dusk coloring the warehouse in soft pinks and bright oranges. I saw Seth and Jacob immediately, standing near the entrance to the warehouse. Jasper pulled over, rolling down the window. "Anything?" he barked.

"Nothing," Seth said. "All the doors are sealed shut. We didn't want to alert them to our presence, so we just did a visual inspection. No cars. No movement."

"What does that mean?" I hissed, looking at Felix.

The second SUV pulled up next to us and Carlisle sat in the passenger seat, his face stoic and his gaze frigid. "We still go in. They may have clues. Or, God forbid, Edward's body so we can give him a proper burial." My heart stammered against my chest. Felix saw my anguish and took my hand.

"Boss wouldn't leave you, Little One," he murmured.

"Let's go," Carlisle growled and his SUV drove up to the warehouse, parking haphazardly in the lot.

Jasper pulled in next to him and he slid in his earpiece. I did the same and took out one of my weapons. I slid out of the car, following them. Emmett was behind me along with Anthony. They both looked larger than life in their black gear, menacing and evil, but I knew that they were only concerned for Edward. Jasper made it to the door with Carlisle and Seth, checking to see if it was open. It was clearly locked. Carlisle pointed to the door and said something that I couldn't hear since I was trailing back by Emmett and Anthony. Jasper and Seth took out some devices, planting them on the door frame. They ran back toward us and moved us behind one of the SUVs. A few moments later, a loud bang blew open the door. I jumped, my fear growing exponentially.

Jacob and Seth ran in first before yelling that it was safe for the rest of us to enter. I was flanked by Emmett and Anthony, following Jasper and Carlisle. Liam and a few of the other guys remained at the SUVs, guarding Felix. Inside of the warehouse, I wrinkled my nose at the scent. It smelled musty and wrong. The room we walked into was obviously some sort of reception area, filled with cheap furniture and older computer technology. "What did this place make?" I asked Emmett.

"Components for tablets and smart phones," he answered. "Mainly the cases and the touch screens. However, there was an issue with the screens. They were glitchy and that's what made them go out of business." He looked at me, his eyes soft. "Come, you're with me, bambina." We walked through the reception area and made our way down a long hallway, checking offices, but only seeing more ugly furniture.

Our comms buzzed in our ears. "There's a manufacturing area, Emmett. Your dad and Jasper are heading that way. The Boss's signal is stronger there," said Felix.

We turned around and made our way back through the reception area. We went up some stairs, finding the manufacturing part of the warehouse. It was empty, cavernous, really. The unpleasant scent I'd encountered when I first walked in was stronger here. It smelled like body odor and something burnt. We saw Jasper, Carlisle and Seth standing in the center of the room, underneath a bright light hanging from the ceiling. When we got closer, there was a pair of metal shackles hanging above them that were covered in blood. There was also blood on the floor, spattering the lit area. I fell to my knees, seeing the amount of blood. "Is he?" I whispered.

"There'd be more blood if he was," Carlisle said angrily. "He's still alive. They're toying with us, but this is Stephan. I'm certain of it. He gets off on torture, plain and simple. His wife is a clear indication of that."

"Yeah, my dad loved to make my mom black and blue," Anthony growled. "He's a monster, Uncle Carlisle. Whatever he has planned, he's not done yet. He'll murder Edward without a care in the world. He's on borrowed time."

"But, where's the ring?" Jasper asked. "The GPS is lit up like a fucking Christmas tree, but I can't find it."

From my spot on the ground, I saw something glint. I crawled to it. It was near one of the posts supporting the roof of the structure. I picked it up and saw it was Edward's signet ring, completely covered with blood. Carlisle walked over to me, crouching down and taking it from my fingers. His eyes flashed with sadness before standing up, his mask back in place. He pressed his ear and his lips pursed, clenching his hand around it. "We've got to go," he growled.

"What is it, sir?" Jacob asked.

"We got a phone call and there are visitors coming to our home," Carlisle said. He offered me a hand and I could see the torment in his eyes. I took it and he helped me to my feet, hugging me tightly and releasing me just as quickly. "Let's go. From the message from Felix, the clock's ticking."

 **EPOV**

I woke up again, in a different location. This time I was on my stomach and I felt agonizing pain in my back, just between my shoulder blades. Memories assaulted me as I remembered what had happened after I was clocked out.

 _"Wakey, wakey, asshole!_ " _growled that accented voice, slapping my face and backing away out of the light. "You're such a pussy."_

 _"Stop punching me and release my hands, fucker. I'll show you a pussy," I snapped. He snarled and I felt a sharp snap on my back. I bit my lip so I wouldn't yell out in pain. Another sting on my back and I cringed. "Real classy. Whip a guy while he's chained. Fucker, at least make this a fair fight."_

 _"I'm just beginning, Cullen," he laughed maniacally. "You're too fucking pretty. You're a shame to all mob bosses in the world. You don't have any scars, pussy." I heard him shuffle and smelled something, like gas. I heard him behind me and he pressed something between my shoulder blades. At first, I was confused. Then, searing, white-hot pain spread from my back and through my body. I screamed, my body clenching and trying to move away from the agony he was pressing to me. There was a blow to my stomach and I stopped moving, feeling more of the pain and smelling burnt flesh._

 _The pain stopped and I sagged against my bindings. I was punched, kicked, slapped and whipped repeatedly before another go with whatever they pressed between my shoulder blades. I screamed, my heart jumping out of my chest and my mind reeling. This torture continued for what felt like hours. Eventually, my hands were released. In my concussed brain, I felt my captors wrench something off my finger, tossing it out of the light. "Come on, Vlad. Boss said we need to get him out of here. On to phase two." Something was pressed to my neck and I drifted asleep, grateful since every inch of my body ached._

I shifted on the ground, shivering and uncomfortable. I heard heavy footsteps. I tensed, seeing a younger man walking to me. I couldn't really see much. My vision was blurry from my swollen eyes. He crouched down in front of me. He had some water. "Here, man," he said, his voice sounding young. It was deep, but still settling into its adult sound. I reached for the water, groaning when the injury on my back tore. "Fuck," he spat. "Let me get a straw. Don't move."

"Not. Going. Anywhere," I panted, falling back onto the ground and pressing my cheek to the disgusting floor. He came back a few moments later, pushing a straw into my mouth. I sucked down as much as I could, trembling at the coldness from the liquid. I panted heavily, pain radiating through my entire soul.

"Look, man, just give it up," he whispered, sitting down next to me. "They'll let you go if you give up your hold on the Consortium."

"What they're doing is wrong," I sneered. "I'm not giving up. I need to protect my family."

"Fuck, my dad said you were stubborn," he sighed. I looked at him, trying to get a better view of him, but my injuries prevented it. "I'm Collin. My dad works for Anthony. I came to work for Stephan because the pay was better, but now … it's not worth it."

"Anthony asked me to look for you," I wheezed, my ribs throbbing painfully.

"You found me," he grumbled. "Working for the two devils." He sighed. "They're going to kill you, Mr. Cullen. If you don't give up your hold, they'll kill you."

"Why are you telling me this? Why are you even helping me?" I asked.

"Because, the lies they told me about you and your family were disgusting. I knew about Mr. Anthony and he's a good man. These monsters? They ruin lives. I saw them rape a woman, a blonde woman, together. Stephan, Royce and Vladimir. She screamed for them to stop. She was bleeding and she didn't want it anymore. They wouldn't until she passed out." He gulped. "They dragged me into it, too. They said that they didn't want a virgin pussy on their crew. Vladimir stayed while I …"

"You don't have to tell me, Collin," I choked out. "I get where this going."

"I want this to end. It's sickening," he hissed. "I want to die."

"Don't give up, son," I said. "Not until … please, help me."

"What do you want me to do?" he asked, his voice so sad.

"Call my family," I pleaded. "Tell them what they're doing to me. Tell them where we are. I don't care if I die, but I want them to know where my body is if it comes to that."

Collin sat quietly, his hands moving on his jeans. "They won't give up, Mr. Cullen. They've already pushed one guy out of their alliance. Older dude, very Italian."

"Marcus Volturi?" I questioned.

"Yeah. He took that blonde woman that I'd …" he trailed off. "He told them to fuck off and that they were truly evil. No honor."

"I agree with that," I chuckled darkly, making my sore body shudder in agony.

"You know if I make that call, I'm a dead man," Colling muttered. He let out a shaky breath. "It's for the best. I can't live with myself with what I did. I wanted my first time to be special, with a girl I loved." He stood up, brushing off his jeans. "Tell my dad that I love him and that I'm sorry I disappointed him."

"Collin, we'll try to get you out," I whispered.

"No. Don't. I'm a traitor. A rapist. I deserve to die," he said. "So do they. I'm making sure it happens, Mr. Cullen." He turned on his heel and stomped out of my room. I put my cheek on the floor, saddened at the lost innocence of Collin and angry at what those animals made him do. I closed my eyes and allowed myself to be pulled back under, blissful unconsciousness taking me away from the pain I was feeling.

 **BPOV**

We arrived back at the house. Carlisle stormed into his home and was shocked at his visitors. I saw a handsome older man, sitting on the couch with a beautiful woman and _Rosalie_. But, Rosalie was not the woman I remembered. The woman who was bitter and angry. She was a shell of her former self. Her hair is hanging limply around her face and she's easily lost thirty pounds.

"What's she doing here?" Emmett asked, glaring at his ex-wife. Rosalie flinched, moving closer to the woman.

"She's been abused, quite violently," said the man. "I had to free her from those monsters. I took her when they …" He gulped and stood up, looking at Carlisle. "We don't have much time. We've met before, Carlisle. At my father's funeral."

"And you were at my father's funeral, Marcus," Carlisle said, shaking his hand. "My sympathies about your son."

"He was lost to the darkness," Marcus said sadly. "Royce and Stephan corrupted him, making him into a demon, like them." He sat down and pressed his hands to his eyes. "I've come to walk away, to give all that can to end this war. This madness needs to stop."

"How do we know that this isn't a trick?" Jasper asked. "You were aligned with Royce and Stephan."

"They took all of my men, my weaponry and have left me with nothing. They've taken my children, murdering my son with their darkness and slaughtering my daughter while they took her innocence for _fun,_ " he spat. "I'm done. Fucking done."

"Are you even privy to what they're doing to my son?" Carlisle asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I was looped into all of it. I know their plan. Where they're taking him, along with a timeline," Marcus said. He reached into pocket and revealed a key. "Royce owns land out in DeKalb with a farm and no neighbors. Edward is being held in a storm shelter until they can kill him."

"Why haven't they killed him already?" Emmett asked.

"Stephan, Royce and Royce's lieutenant, Vladimir, they love to torture. They love to hear their victims scream," Marcus said, taking Rosalie's hand. She trembled, tears falling down her cheeks. "They love to leave lasting marks on their victims, too."

"So, they're torturing my husband?" I snarled. "And you're doing nothing about it?"

"I'm here, little girl," Marcus snapped.

"Do. Not. Speak. To. My. Daughter. That. Way," Carlisle growled. "Though, she has a point. Why wait this long? You said there is a timeline."

"I had to make arrangements for our travel," Marcus answered. "We're leaving the country. I'm invoking my dual citizenship and leaving the states. I'm moving back to Italy where I can stay at the vineyard owned by my family. It's quiet, away from people and a good place for Rosalie to heal from her injuries. Where she can feel safe." He stood up and handed me a key. "This is to the farm house. I've already given the address to Esme. You must hurry. At midnight, your husband will be killed and they will take the Consortium by force."

"It's already seven. DeKalb is two hours away," Jacob hissed. "We don't have much time to assemble an army."

"With the secluded location, the farm is not heavily fortified. The team you have here will be enough, but do not leave any survivors and bring down those animals, those monsters," Marcus said. He stood up, smoothing his coat. He held out his hand to Carlisle, who took it, shaking it gruffly. He turned to me, kissing my cheeks and reaching into his pocket. "A wedding present for you and your husband, dear Isabella. I wish you and your family happiness." He turned on his heel, leaving with Rosalie and his wife.

When the door closed, Carlisle looked to Alice. "We need you, Dr. Whitlock," he said. "If he's bad off, we're going to need your medical expertise." He looked at me. "Dress her similarly and be ready to go in ten."

"Armed, sir?" Jasper asked.

"No," Alice said. "I'll need to carry my bag."

"But, you'll be armed," Carlisle said. "Go!" We went upstairs and she put on a pair of black pants, a black Henley and a bullet-proof vest. Jasper gave her a knife and one gun before declaring us ready to go. Just as we were heading out to the cars, Carlisle stopped me. He handed me the signet ring. "You give this back to my son, Isabella. Put it where it belongs."

"Are you not coming?" I asked.

"I am, but your job is to save him," he said, his eyes filling with tears. "Bring him back."

"I will, Carlisle," I nodded.

He blinked and the tears dissipated. He hugged me, kissing my forehead before turning to head out to the car. With a gruff order, "Let's go!" we pulled out and made our way to DeKalb.

I slipped the ring onto my thumb, saying a prayer. "I'm coming, Edward. I love you," I whispered. "Vengeance will be ours, baby. I promise you."

 **A/N: We're on our way to save Edward. Chant it with me … HEA! HEA! HEA! Leave me some loving!**


	27. Chapter 27

**So, none of this is mine. I wrote the first chapter for a contest and now, I'm expanding it. What I own … a condo and too many books. What I don't … _Twilight_ and all its characters.**

 **Still with me? You ready for Mobward and _Dolce_ to be reunited? Also, some delicious carnage? Another warning with this one. _Just saying …_**

 ***Violence Warning*  
*Angst Warning***

 **Chapter Twenty-Seven**

 **BPOV**

 _"Stephan, Royce and Royce's lieutenant, Vladimir, they love to torture. They love to hear their victims scream," Marcus said, taking Rosalie's hand. She trembled, tears falling down her cheeks. "They love to leave lasting marks on their victims, too."_

 _"So, they're torturing my husband?" I snarled. "And you're doing nothing about it?"_

 _"I'm here, little girl," Marcus snapped._

 _"Do. Not. Speak. To. My. Daughter. That. Way," Carlisle growled. "Though, she has a point. Why wait this long? You said there is a timeline."_

 _"I had to make arrangements for our travel," Marcus answered. "We're leaving the country. I'm invoking my dual citizenship and leaving the states. I'm moving back to Italy where I can stay at the vineyard owned by my family. It's quiet, away from people and a good place for Rosalie to heal from her injuries. Where she can feel safe." He stood up and handed me a key. "This is to the farm house. I've already given the address to Esme. You must hurry. At midnight, your husband will be killed and they will take the Consortium by force."_

 _"It's already seven. DeKalb is two hours away," Jacob hissed. "We don't have much time to assemble an army."_

 _"With the secluded location, the farm is not heavily fortified. The team you have here will be enough, but do not leave any survivors and bring down those animals, those monsters," Marcus said. He stood up, smoothing his coat. He held out his hand to Carlisle, who took it, shaking it gruffly. He turned to me, kissing my cheeks and reaching into his pocket. "A wedding present for you and your husband, dear Isabella. I wish you and your family happiness." He turned on his heel, leaving with Rosalie and his wife._

 _When the door closed, Carlisle looked to Alice. "We need you, Dr. Whitlock," he said. "If he's bad off, we're going to need your medical expertise." He looked at me. "Dress her similarly and be ready to go in ten."_

 _"Armed, sir?" Jasper asked._

 _"No," Alice said. "I'll need to carry my bag."_

 _"But, you'll be armed," Carlisle said. "Go!" We went upstairs and she put on a pair of black pants, a black Henley and a bullet-proof vest. Jasper gave her a knife and one gun before declaring us ready to go. Just as we were heading out to the cars, Carlisle stopped me. He handed me the signet ring. "You give this back to my son, Isabella. Put it where it belongs."_

 _"Are you not coming?" I asked._

 _"I am, but your job is to save him," he said, his eyes filling with tears. "Bring him back."_

 _"I will, Carlisle," I nodded._

 _He blinked and the tears dissipated. He hugged me, kissing my forehead before turning to head out to the car. With a gruff order, "Let's go!" we pulled out and made our way to DeKalb._

 _I slipped the ring onto my thumb, saying a prayer. "I'm coming, Edward. I love you," I whispered. "Vengeance will be ours, baby. I promise you."_

The sun had dipped below the horizon and the stars twinkled innocently above us. But, to the west, there was a gathering storm. Heat lightening flashed in the distance as we drove toward DeKalb. Jacob checked his phone. "We're under a tornado watch, Jas," he said.

"Great, just what we need. A real storm on top of this shit storm," Jasper muttered darkly.

"It might work to our advantage," Felix said. "Power'll go out. We can go in. Undetected."

"You coming with us, brother?" Jasper asked.

"Fuck, yeah. I would do anything for the Boss or his Little One," Felix said, winking at me. "They saved me, in more ways than one."

"But, your arm," Alice chided.

"I can still shoot," Felix argued. "And if I get sidelined permanently, it'll be for a good cause, Miss Alice." He blinked to me. "I'm staying with you, Little One."

"I have to find him, Felix," I whispered.

"You will, Bells," Jacob said. "I'm with you, too."

"That leaves the rest of us to surround the building," Jasper said. He pressed a few buttons and the distinct ring of a cell phone filled the cabin of the car.

"Cullen," barked Emmett.

"Jake and Felix are going with Bella. The rest of us are going to surround the building," Jasper said. "Liam, you there?"

"Yeah," he said.

"You have your sniper rifle?" Jasper asked.

"Never leave home without it," he chuckled, his brogue deep. "I've scoped out the terrain. If you drop me off about a quarter mile from the farm house, I can get into position and shoot from the rise just to the south of the building. There's an outcropping that'll work perfectly. I looked it up on Google maps."

"You got that, Em?" Jasper questioned.

"Yeah. Liam told me where to drop him off," Emmett said. There was another ring over the line. "Hey, I've got another call coming. Unknown caller. I'm teleconferencing them in. Dad, you answer."

There was a rustle and Carlisle answered. "Carlisle Cullen," he replied.

"Mr. Cullen," said the deep voice over the speaker. "My name is Collin and I used to work with Anthony Romani and my father, Brady. I defected to work with Stephan because the money was better."

"Why are you calling us now, Collin?" Carlisle asked, his voice uncertain. "You're risking your life."

"I want to die, sir. I also want to do something right," Collin sniffled. "I've done things that I'm ashamed of, things that I never wanted to do, but was forced to do in order to prove my loyalty. I'd rather not say because my time is limited. I'm due for a check-in with my superiors."

"Talk fast," Carlisle growled.

"I know where Edward is located," Collin whispered brokenly. "He's in a bad way. He's been beaten badly and he's been tortured."

"Where?" Carlisle pressed.

"A farmhouse in the middle of DeKalb," Collin sighed. "He's being held in a storm cellar. At midnight, they're planning on killing him. You need a key to get into the storm cellar." There were some harsh movements over the line. "Shit … I've got to go."

Garbled words filtered over the line. Collin's fearful cries came next and then gunshots. The line went dead shortly after that. Alice took my hand, her eyes wide with fear. I quietly sobbed for the man who'd called us, who wished for death and promptly got it.

"Drive faster, Emmett," Carlisle commanded. In front of us, the car sped ahead. Jasper pressed down on the gas and he followed suit, making our two-hour trip to DeKalb much faster. We dropped of Liam a quarter of a mile from the farm house and we drove in, lights off and arms ready. It was as black as pitch, with blowing wind and distant lightning. We parked down the road and made our way through the growing corn, preparing for battle.

"Edward, I'm coming," I whispered. "I'm coming, baby."

 **EPOV**

I drifted in and out of consciousness. I was dragged out of the room I was in at some point and strung up by my hands in a barn, I think. As I was lifted, my arms above my head, I heard the distinct sound of gunfire and the collapse of a body. I knew it was Collin's demise. I prayed that he got my message to my father, to my _dolce_. I closed my eyes, picturing her beautiful face, heart-shaped and blushing. Her espresso-colored eyes twinkled lovingly and she smiled, her pink lips coy and perfect as she said she loved me.

 _Please, let me see her once before this all ends. I love you,_ amore. _You are my everything. My soul. My light. My love._ Mia cara. Mia amore.

The barn was old, smelling like hay and manure. My arms were killing me, but that was nothing compared to the agony I felt between my shoulder blades. The scent of burnt flesh made my stomach turn. I was terrified of the wound that was there, the scar that would remain.

"There's a storm brewing," said the accented voice of my first captor.

"According to the weather reports, there's a tornado watch," said another new voice. "Look at the radar, Vladimir."

"Fuck," Vladimir growled. "This could be potentially bad." The lights flickered in the barn as there was a low rumble of thunder. "The power goes out, so does the security system. Stay with the asshat while I make sure that the generator is functioning properly. And call Stephan and Royce. They need to be safe."

"They're in the house, Vlad. They're fine," scoffed the second man.

I heard a gunshot, quieted by a silencer and the heavy collapse of a body. Vladimir rattled off some comments in Russian and stomped toward me. I felt the hot barrel of the gun pressed under my chin. "You try to escape, you die, Cullen scum. I'll get Collin to come in and stay with you. He's better than Ivan. He may be young and stupid, but he's at least capable of carrying out the simplest of orders." He slammed my temple with the butt of his weapon, making me grunt in pain. I slumped, my wrists being torn to shreds from my body weight. "Fucking pussy. And you're the fearless leader of the Cullen Consortium? What a fucking joke!"

"You're the joke, Vladimir," I sneered, placing my feet on the floor and standing up straight. Well, as straight as I could despite the situation. "A fucking pussy, too."

"You don't recognize me, do you, Cullen?" he asked, moving closer to me.

"Everything's a blur right now, Vladimir," I spat. "My eyes are fucking swollen shut. I know that you're a part of the Russian Bratva with that accent."

I heard Vladimir's footsteps and he was right on top of me. He was as tall as me, with dark brown hair and tanned skin. "Maybe you'll recognize me now, Boss?" he asked again, the accent gone.

"Garrett?" I growled.

"To you, _da_ ," he sneered. "But, I'm Vladimir Petrovich. I'm Royce's lieutenant and I managed to infiltrate your worthless organization. What a joke! I'm shocked you're still around with as _soft_ as you're getting. All for that cunt, Isabella. I heard you say you'd walk away for her. You're not a leader of a mob organization. You're a fucking pussy. Always a pussy and always will be a pussy." He slammed his fists into my belly and kneed me in the balls. "You're going down, Cullen. And your bitch will watch you bleed to death as I disembowel you in front of her eyes. You're done." He stomped away and I panted heavily as lightning flashed around us, making the lights flicker again in the barn. Another flicker and the lights were out, covering me in darkness. Vladimir, from somewhere outside, bellowed a curse in Russian.

 **BPOV**

"This storm is working to our advantage," Jasper said as we made our way toward the farm house. "The lights are out, meaning that the security system must be out, too." Lightning split the sky and the responding thunder was deafening. Jasper looked at me and we made our way closer to the decrepit farm house. Skirting along the edge of the property, Emmett, Anthony and Carlisle made their way to the storm cellar. Jacob and Seth scurried to the back entrance of the house while Felix, Jasper, Alice and I went to the front entrance.

"There's a barn behind here," Jacob hissed. "A body of a teenage boy is outside, near the storm cellar."

"That must be Collin," Anthony said, his voice sad.

"Stand down until we can check the storm cellar," Carlisle said. Jasper crouched behind a tree, with me next to him. Felix protected Alice as they huddled near the base of the farm house. The comms were quiet, save for the footsteps down the cellar stairs. "Fuck … he's not here."

"Is there evidence he was?" Jasper asked.

"Yes, and there's a lot of blood, vomit and …" he trailed off. "Alice, prepare for the worst."

"Understood," Alice said sadly, looking back at me.

"Bella, are you prepared to enact your rite of vengeance?" Carlisle asked, his voice deep and angry.

"Very much so," I said.

"I can hear footsteps inside the house. It's occupied. Go inside and end this. I'll be right behind you," Carlisle said.

"Lock and load," Jasper grunted. I took out one of my weapons, released the safety and we made our way up the stairs. With a look around, Jasper stomped his foot into the building and chaos ensued. He raised his gun, shooting the men and they fell. I stayed behind him and we made our way through the farm house, killing any many in our way. Reaching the rear of the house, we saw a pretty fancy set up in the office. A blonde man was seated at the desk. I recognized him instantly.

"Royce," I sneered.

"Cullen's whore," he sneered back. "You might not want him now. He's not as pretty as you remember, bitch."

Carlisle and Emmett stepped in behind us. Emmett growled, glowering at a man to Royce's right. "YOU! You were the one who fucked Rosalie."

"I continued to fuck her after she left you, until that bitch bled. And yet, you still hired me to be your bodyguard," the man responded with a thick accent. "Vladimir Petrovich, Royce's second in command and proud member of the Bratva."

Emmett didn't even wait. He raised his gun and shot Vladimir between the eyes. He collapsed, falling like a rag doll. Royce's eyes widened. He tried to run away, but Jasper and Anthony stopped him. I stepped forward. Raising my gun, I held it levelly. "Today was supposed to be my wedding day, asshole. Right now, my husband and I should be consummating our marriage, but no. We're not. Thanks to you and your sick need for power." I shot my gun, aiming for his balls. He screamed when the bullet pierced his skin. "I claim rite of vengeance. You will never gain control over my family. You broke Emmett's ex-wife with your sick, depraved and disgusting displays of sexual control. You hurt my fiancée … no, my HUSBAND … Now? You won't hurt anyone anymore. Tell me where he is!"

"Only if you fuck me," Royce choked out, a sick smile spreading over his pale features.

"With what dick?" I purred evilly. He didn't say anything, but I could see he was angry at this turn of events. I strode over to him. He was pressed against the chair by Jasper and Anthony. I pushed the muzzle of the gun under his jaw. "Say hello to the devil for me and fuck you." I pulled the trigger, his brains splattering the back of the wall. Anthony took the gun from me and wiped it down before putting the weapon into Royce's hand, making it appear that he killed himself.

"There's movement in the barn," growled Liam in our comms. "I see at least two people in there. One is strung up. The other …"

"GO!" Carlisle snarled. "Jacob, Seth, set the explosives."

We made our way out the back door, barreling through the rickety entrance. Stephan was standing behind someone and that's when I realized it was Edward. His face was not recognizable. His eyes were swollen shut and he was covered with bruises. His hands were tied in front of his body and he was barely conscious. Stephan had a gun pressed to Edward's temple. "It's over, brother. I'm the leader of the Cullen Consortium. Edward just relinquished his power! He's too weak, too afraid to lead this family."

"I never said anything," Edward slurred, his body exhausted.

"You bring shame to our family, Edward, my dear nephew," Stephan snapped, tightening his hold on Edward's body.

Carlisle held his gun steady. "It's not Edward who shames our family. It's you, Stephan," Carlisle said coldly. "My son is a good man and I'm proud of him. I'm proud of his plans for our family, bringing us to the next level in the mob world."

 **EPOV**

Every part of my body ached. Stephan was holding me and his gun, which wasn't even armed, was pressed to my head. Everything was a blur. I heard my father speaking to Stephan. I also faintly smelled my Bella's perfume. _She was here?_ However, my father's words, his pride in me astonished me. I tried to focus my attention on my father. He was blurry, but I recognized him by his stance. Behind him, I saw a smaller figure, more feminine.

"Bella?" I choked out.

"I'm here, love," she said.

Stephan screamed, animalistically and gutturally. "NO! I'm not giving this up. The Consortium is MINE! Not yours! Not his! And definitely not hers!" He removed the gun from my temple releasing the safety and aimed it away from me. I could see, faintly, that he was aiming his weapon at Bella. Jacob and Jasper stood in front of her, holding up their guns and protecting her.

"Brother," Dad breathed.

"I'm not your brother," Stephan screamed. "Our father ignored me. Just because he couldn't keep it in his fucking pants … like I was some sort of dirty little secret. I'm older. THIS SHOULD BE MINE!"

My father growled. "I claim rite of vengeance. I'm sorry, Edward," Carlisle said.

"Do it, Dad," I hissed. I knew he didn't have a clear shot. I was a human shield. Stephan was using me to protect his body. The gun went off and I felt the bullet rip through my shoulder. It loosened Stephan's hold on me. I stumbled, falling to the ground. I heard heavy footsteps and two more gunshots.

My father said a prayer quietly to Stephan.

The pain of the past twenty-four hours hit me like a ton of bricks. I moaned. Lighter, faster footsteps came over and I was rolled gently onto my back. I hissed, agony rushing through me from my injury between my shoulder blades. I looked up, seeing Alice working on my body. Bella was on my other side, using a knife to cut the thick ropes from my wrists. " _Mia cara_ ," I whispered.

"I'm here, my love," she said, kissing my hands. "I'm not leaving you."

"We need to go," Alice growled. "This place is a … I don't even want to imagine. I need to perform surgery, like yesterday. In a sterile environment. Not here. Yuck." I stared at Bella as my men bent down and picked me up, mindful of my injuries to my back, ribs and gunshot wound in my shoulder. Bella walked next to me. Her tiny hand in mine. Carefully, I was placed in the rear of an SUV, complete with a gurney and medical equipment. Alice got in next to me, with Bella on the other side.

Alice put a blood pressure cuff on my arm and she growled. "Edward, you're … you need to calm down," she chided.

"He's in pain, Alice," Bella snapped. "You just saw him get shot. His face is fucked up and his back …" She sniffled, brushing my hair back. "I'm so sorry, love."

"You're here," I choked out. "Mrs. Cullen." I could barely make her out, my eyes were so bad. "I wanted to see you in your white dress, _amore_."

"You will, baby," she cried, kissing my knuckles.

"Bells, I've got to put him under. His blood pressure is through the roof," Alice said. She got in my face. "Do you understand, Edward?"

"Bella makes decisions for me," I slurred. "My … life … is …" I tightened my hand weakly around her soft fingers. "I'm yours, _cara._ I love you."

"I love you more, baby," she said. "Now, rest. You're safe. I'm here and we're getting you out of here."

I felt a prick in my neck and immediately felt the effects of whatever Alice gave me. I kept my eyes on my Bella for as long as I could, drifting out of conscious and into a place where I felt no more pain.

 **BPOV**

"Blow it," Carlisle ordered. We were driving away. Liam was in the SUV I'd ridden in with Jasper and Seth. I saw Jasper hold out a control and the farm house, the barn and storm cellar exploded. It coincided perfectly with a jagged, blinding white light of lightning that cut through a tree in the yard. "Perfect … now, the building was destroyed by the storm. Let's get out of here."

"What about the bodies?" I asked, not letting go of Edward's hand. "Aren't they going to be traced back to us?"

"The weaponry we used was untraceable," Anthony explained. "With Royce's 'suicide', it could also be some sort of cult mass suicide. The fire will remove all trace evidence and the storm will wash it away."

"I'm still sending in a clean-up crew," Carlisle said.

"I've already put in a text to them," Emmett replied from the driver's seat. "They're an hour out, will be here soon."

"Is anyone staying back?" Anthony asked.

"Seth is. He feels it's his duty to remain behind," Carlisle sighed. "He feels like it's his fault this happened."

"How?" I asked.

"Because of Rosalie," Emmett muttered. "He knew about her clandestine meetings with Royce and his lieutenant, Vladimir. He didn't tell me. I didn't want Seth as my body guard anymore. I felt like I couldn't trust him. As a result, I hired Garrett, who turned out to be Vladimir in disguise. I let those assholes into our lives."

Carlisle didn't say anything. He just stared out the window, his eyes watching and assessing. Alice just looked at me as she worked on Edward, cleaning the wounds she could and monitoring his breathing, heart rate and blood pressure. It was still elevated, but not as scary when he was awake. Almost two and half hours later, we arrived at Alice and Jasper's home. I was shocked to see Emily there. Alice scowled at her. "Get out," she sneered.

"What? No! I don't understand," she said.

"You don't understand jack. Get the fuck out," Alice growled. Emily was still standing there, her eyes wide with shock and fear. "Your boyfriend, Garrett? Yeah, he did this to my best friend's husband."

"Garrett wouldn't do such a thing," Emily whimpered.

"And his name isn't Garrett. It's Vladimir," Alice said coldly. "Thanks to Emmett, he's dead. Now, leave."

Emily's eyes widened, tears splashing onto her cheeks. She looked down at Edward, in a drug-induced stupor and bruises covering every inch of his body. She also blinked to Emmett, who gave her a death glare. Emily ran past us and into her car, pulling away.

"Jacob. Follow her," Carlisle said, his voice still cold and detached. "Make sure doesn't squeal."

"Do you want me to …?" Jacob asked, trailing off. I looked up at my friend and protector. He had out his gun. My heart fell to my feet. Yes, I'd killed Royce, but that was self-defense, really. This was something different.

"No, Jacob," Jasper answered. "Talk to her but do not harm her."

"Understood," Jacob nodded, putting his gun away and hopping into the car. Liam joined him.

Jasper, Emmett, Anthony and Carlisle helped move Edward from the back of the SUV and into the clinic. There was another nurse there, thankfully. I recognized her from the hospital, but didn't remember her name. Alice looked at us and she sighed. "I'll let you know as soon as I'm done."

"Please, take care of him," I whispered.

"Always, Bells," she nodded, ducking into the clinic. I sat down heavily, thrusting my hands into my hair. The weight of what had happened washed over me and I started crying hysterically. Edward was back. His two enemies were gone, one by my hand and the other by the hand of his own father. I was picked up and was sitting on someone's lap. I clung to their shirt, allowing my emotions to bubble over.

I'd killed someone.

I'd shot someone who had threatened my family.

I did without remorse. Without hesitation. Without any sort of fear.

"Shhhhh, Bella," said Carlisle. "Breathe, sweet girl." He moved his body deliberately, breathing deeply. I followed suit and I eventually calmed down. My body stopped shaking and the tears, they slowed to a trickle. He wiped my tears and cupped my chin. "Better?"

"I'm … I … I don't know," I shrugged. "I'm overwhelmed."

"You did something that not many people do. Edward, Emmett, myself, our crew, we've been trained and can handle what we do, Bella," he said, his voice soft and tender. It was the total opposite of what he'd sounded like all day. "You were brilliant, though."

"I was terrified. Angry, but terrified," I whispered. "I still am. Edward, he's … he's been brutalized! His face, those bruises and I only saw a glimpse of his back, but it's gruesome. It's like they scorched the tattoo off his body, Carlisle."

"Knowing Royce, Vladimir and Stephan? They probably did," Carlisle said, his voice darkening, as well as his eyes. He took a breath, looking back at me. "I know what happened tonight was overwhelming and that if you want to walk away, I'm certain Edward would understand."

"I can't, Carlisle. I love him. Yes, he's the leader of the Cullen Consortium. He's …" I trailed off. "He's the missing part of my soul. I've only ever felt safe with him. I feel loved. My uncle, he did great as an adoptive father, but I realized what I was missing. It was the love of a man who … I'm not going anywhere."

"Good, because I'd hate to have to kill you," Carlisle quipped. My face paled and I started crying again. "Fuck, too soon?"

I smacked him. Hard. "Way too soon, asshole," I growled.

"I am an asshole," Carlisle chuckled. "I'm sorry. That was insensitive." I nodded, getting up and sitting on one of the chairs in the reception area. He stood up, moving awkwardly and tentatively. "I'm going to call Esme, tell her about Edward's release. I think you should get some sleep."

"When I know more, I'll sleep," I grumbled. He nodded and left. I curled up, leaning against the wall and my vigil began.

xx MOTM xx

"Bells," came the tired voice of Alice. "Sweetie, wake up."

"Huh, what?" I asked. "What time is it?"

"It's almost noon," she said. "I've finished with Edward. He's recovering in the private suite. I figured you wanted to be with him."

"How is he?" I asked. "Will he be okay?"

"He's got a long recovery, but he will be fine. My main concern is the damage to his back. I had to debride the burns almost down to the muscle," she said, her nose wrinkled. "A friend of mine from Chicago Med is coming to help me devise a plan for repairing the skin. He may need skin grafts."

"And the gun-shot wound?" I whispered.

"It was a through-and-through. It missed major organs, but caused significant damage to his shoulder blade. I had to completely reconstruct that. The pieces were big enough that I didn't have to completely replace the bone, but it's going to take time for him to regain full motion," she said. "He's also got broken ribs, along with some facial fractures from the beatings he experienced. He also has a scratched cornea. One of his contact lenses ripped in his eye and because the lid was almost swollen over, he couldn't remove it. I got it out, but he may need laser corrective surgery to repair the cornea."

"Oh, god," I cried.

"Bella, he's alive. He's in there, but I've got him heavily sedated. I'll keep him that way so his body can repair itself," she said, hugging me. She got up and led me back through her clinic. There was another nurse overseeing him. "No changes?"

"No, Dr. Whitlock. And Sally will be here to relieve me in about three hours," the woman said.

"Are you, Sally, Lucy and Becky okay with these shifts?" Alice asked. "You'll be well compensated."

"Mr. Cullen has already deposited the first half of my payment into my account, Dr. Whitlock," the woman replied. "The remaining will be deposited every other week until we're done with this assignment."

"Thank you, Phoebe," Alice nodded. "If you want to take your break, I'm going to have Mrs. Cullen check on her husband." Phoebe nodded, placing the chart at the edge of his bed.

"Mr. Cullen?" I hissed.

"Emmett," Alice answered. "He added them to the payroll of the company, under the guise of something. It's legit." She walked into the room and checked all of the connections to Edward.

My Edward.

"Oh, God," I cried.

"Don't be alarmed, Bells," Alice said, rushing back to me. "Just look at the screen. Strong, steady heartbeat, regular blood pressure and great oxygenation. He's comfortable. Drugged out of his gourd, but comfortable." She sat me down next to him. "The tube down his throat is helping him breathe. The IV is delivering the medication to keep him sedated, as well as the pain medication."

"Can he hear me?" I asked, running my finger along his cold hand.

"Not right now, but his heart rate has slowed. That means he's at ease. He knows you're here, Bella," Alice said. "I'll give you a few moments. I'll be back in a little bit and then, you need to get some actual sleep."

"I don't want to leave him, Alice," I sniffled.

"I know you don't, but you have to do what's best for you and for him. He'd be fucking pissed if you got sick again. He'd worry endlessly if something happened to you," Alice said. "You need to take care of you, too." I gave her a glower. "I'm not going to win, am I?" My brow arched before I turned back to Edward, picking up his hand and kissing his knuckles. I prayed to a God that I wasn't sure I believed in. No one would be that cruel … first taking my father away with cancer … then, brutalizing my fiancée?

I didn't hear Alice leave. I just stared at Edward's battered face. "Come back to me, Mobward. You promised me forever. You promised me a happily ever after. I want that, baby," I whispered. I kissed his knuckles, leaning my face against his cold hand.

"Okay, Bells," Alice said, making me jump. "I get that you want to stay here. I really do. At least shower and get out of those blood-spattered clothes. We need to destroy the evidence."

I looked down at my clothes and saw evidence of what I'd done sprayed over my chest. My throat closed up and my stomach churned. I hopped up running to the bathroom and throwing up. There was nothing inside my belly, just bile and stomach acid. Alice crouched next to me, rubbing my back as I sobbed brokenly. "It's okay, Bells. Just breathe."

"What have I done?" I cried.

"You protected your life," she said solemnly. I looked at her, seeing that she was just as upset as I was. "Bella, you helped me when I was a mess after being sexually assaulted. Now? It's my turn to help you, sweetie. I love you like a sister. You're my best friend and the person I care most for, besides my Jazzy. I love Edward and all the Cullens, but you are my family. My sister from another mister …"

"Really, Ali?" I croaked, giving her a dubious glare.

"Sorry, I'm going on next to no sleep," she snorted. "So are you. Why don't you shower, change into the scrubs and get some rest? I'll have Phoebe bring in a recliner for you."

"Kay," I nodded, plucking at my ruined clothes. "And Ali?"

"What, Bells?"

"I love you, too," I whispered, hugging her. She kissed my cheek and handed me some scrubs, a hoodie and some fresh panties from the supply closet. "You have panties …"

"When I'm here for days at a time, I need to freshen up. They're clean," she barked, giggling quietly. "Toss your clothes outside. Jazzy will burn them with the rest of the clothing." She left me in the bathroom. I flushed the toilet and stripped off my ruined clothing. I put Edward's signet ring, which was in my pocket, on the counter. I stepped into the shower, scouring my body and watching as the grime of the past twenty-four hours washed down the drain. I stayed under the hot spray until the water ran cold. I stayed there even while I shivered, my fingernails turning a mottled grey. Alice called that she was taking my clothes.

I jumped and turned off the cold water, swiping a fluffy white towel from shelf. I wrapped my body in the cotton, breathing deeply and went through the rest of my post-shower routine. Tossing my hair up into a messy bun, I put on the scrubs and hoodie. I picked up his signet ring, clutching it in my palm. Padding back out to the room where Edward was recovering, I picked up his hand. His knuckles were bruised, but his hands were almost normal-looking. I slid his ring onto his finger on his right hand. "I should have put another ring on your finger, Edward. Yesterday was our wedding day, baby." I kissed his palm. "I hope you still want that. Want us." I cried quietly, leaning my cheek against his forearm and eventually drifted asleep.

The days and nights bled together. Edward was kept sedated while his body recuperated. I was the only consistent person who stayed with Edward. Carlisle and Esme came in a lot, too, but I refused to leave until he was awake. I had to know he was alright, that he knew who I was, that he still wanted me, wanted us.

"Bella, we need you to step out," Alice said. Standing next to her was an older doctor with kind blue eyes. "This is Dr. Tassic. He's the burn specialist I mentioned to you."

I stood up, shaking his hand. "Nice to meet you, Dr. Tassic," I whispered.

"It's an honor, Mrs. Cullen," he smiled kindly.

"Esme is outside with Emmett. They have food. Go. Eat," Alice said, arching a brow. She hugged me and I stepped out of the room.

In the waiting room, Emmett and Esme were sitting at a table, along with Uncle Jimmy. I blinked at him, thinking he was a mirage. He stood up and I ran to him. He hugged me, cupping my head and holding me tightly. "Bells, you're too thin. You need to eat."

"I'm not hungry," I whispered.

"You have to eat. I made your favorites, baby girl," he said, sitting me down at the table. Esme put a plate in front of me. I picked at it, forcing the food down my throat. Alice and Dr. Tassic came out. Esme and I both stood up, heading into the conference room that Alice had in her office. Uncle Jimmy sat down next to me, holding my hand. Emmett was standing near the door, his arms crossed and his eyes appraising.

"I've taken the time to examine the wound," Dr. Tassic began. "It's healing well on its own. I don't believe he'll need skin grafts. I will monitor his progress, but Dr. Whitlock is taking excellent care of Mr. Cullen."

"What about his tattoo?" I asked.

"I'm sorry, but the tattoo is irreparably damaged. Plus, the injury to his back, it wouldn't be wise to put a new tattoo onto the healed skin," Dr. Tassic sighed. "Once he's healed, you could have a plastic surgeon repair the damage, but inking the scar would not be advisable."

"Thank you, Dr. Tassic," Alice said. "My husband will show you out." Jasper appeared out of nowhere and guided Dr. Tassic out. Alice turned to us. "Edward's doing well. His wounds are healing. I'm going to run some x-rays on his ribs. If they're where I want them to be, I'm going to lessen his sedation and begin waking him up."

"What about his pain?" Esme questioned.

"We'll keep him pain-free," Alice answered, squeezing Esme's hand. "Well, as pain-free as we can. I don't want him to become dependent on medications."

"Edward wouldn't do that," Emmett growled.

"You'd be surprised," Alice said sharply. "I had a patient at the hospital. Straight and narrow, good kid, got all-As and was accepted to University of Chicago. His leg was snapped, almost removed from his body. His pain was overwhelming and he was given a script for oxy. Suffice it to say, he came in about a year later, OD'ed on heroine. Dead."

"Holy fuck," Emmett hissed.

"So, trust me about the meds. I won't give Edward oxy. But, he will be taken care of," Alice nodded. "Can I get a few moments with Bella?"

"Can we see Edward?" Esme asked.

Alice nodded and took my hand, leading me to a couch. Uncle Jimmy sat next me. "Bells, you need to get some sleep. In a bed. I know you want to be by his side."

"I agree, baby girl," Uncle Jimmy murmured. "You've lost weight. You're tired."

"I get what you both are saying. I just … I need to be here for him. What if he wakes up and I'm not here," I said, shooting up and pacing the length of the room. "Like my dad …"

"Oh, Bells," Uncle Jimmy frowned.

"I don't understand," Alice said.

"When Charlie died, I'd sent Bella home to get some sleep. I was in the cafeteria," Uncle Jimmy said sadly. "My brother died alone in the hospital room. I had to tell my niece that her father died and that he'd died alone."

"So, now you get it. I'm not leaving. I know that Edward won't die, but I don't want to leave him alone," I said. "What if something happens? I can't." I turned on my heel and went back to the room. I sat down next to Edward, taking his hand and kissed his palm. "I love you, baby. I'm here. I'm here. I'll always be here."

My vigil continued as Alice weaned Edward off the medications that kept him unconscious. I tried my hardest to stay awake, but I eventually crashed from exhaustion. I slept hard and only woke up when I felt a soft, whisper soft brush across my cheek. I opened my eyes. I was groggy, unfocused and sore. Staring back at me was the deep evergreen stare of my Edward. "Baby …" I breathed. "You're awake."

 **A/N: He's awake! YAY! We'll hear from Edward next chapter and to be honest, we're getting close to the end of the story. As I mentioned a few chapters ago, I will be writing a sequel. Mobward and Dolce aren't done yet. Their story isn't over yet. Leave me some loving … Thank you for reading!**


	28. Chapter 28

**So, none of this is mine. I wrote the first chapter for a contest and now, I'm expanding it. What I own … a condo and too many books. What I don't … _Twilight_ and all its characters.**

 **He's awake! YAY! We'll hear from Edward next chapter and to be honest, we're getting close to the end of the story. As I mentioned a few chapters ago, I will be writing a sequel. Mobward and Dolce aren't done yet. Their story isn't over yet.**

 **Chapter Twenty-Eight**

 **BPOV**

My vigil continued as Alice weaned Edward off the medications that kept him unconscious. I tried my hardest to stay awake, but I eventually crashed from exhaustion. I slept hard and only woke up when I felt a soft, whisper soft brush across my cheek. I opened my eyes. I was groggy, unfocused and sore. Staring back at me was the deep evergreen stare of my Edward. "Baby …" I breathed. "You're awake."

 **EPOV**

Everything hurt and all I saw was blur. The only thing I recognized was a lump next to me, with dark brown, curled hair. I blinked my eyes again, trying to focus on the blurry lump. I lifted my hand and I felt it radiate through my body, taking my breath away. _Must. Touch. The. Blur._ I caressed soft skin and felt warm breath on my palm. I traced the curve of the skin and the blur moved. "Baby," I heard. "You're awake."

Well, awake was subjective. I was not asleep, but I felt like I was in a fog and my brain was not firing on all cylinders. I also couldn't see. Everything was blurry and fuzzy. I reached for her hand, trying to get her to move closer. I recognized the pale skin and mahogany curls of my Bella. I couldn't discern her features. I tried to talk, but she squeezed my hands. "Don't, baby. You've got a tube down your throat," she whispered. "Let me get Alice and Lucy." She kissed my palm, leaving the room.

 _Don't. Go._

 _Come back!_

A few moments later, I heard Alice and another woman. Bella was behind them. I think. I couldn't tell. My vision was totally fucked. Alice prattled some instructions and within a few moments, the tube was out of my mouth and I had a nasal cannula on my face. "Don't try to talk, Edward," Alice ordered. "Squeeze my hand if you can hear me." I squeezed her hand. "Do you know who I am? Squeeze once for yes, twice for no." I squeezed her hand again. "Do you know who this woman is?" I looked and I couldn't tell who she was pointing to. "Edward?"

"Can't. See," I wheezed. "Blurry."

"Here are his glasses," said Bella.

"They may not help," Alice muttered.

"It's no harm in trying," Bella snapped. "Here!"

Carefully, Alice put on my glasses and it helped marginally. I could make out Alice's features and I recognized Bella. My beautiful Bella, who had lost weight and looked wrecked. " _Mia cara_ ," I whispered, closing my eyes and coughing. " _Mia dolce._ " I heard a sob and I wanted to comfort her, reaching for her. "Bella, please, I need to …" Alice moved and Bella was by my side, her fingers threaded with mine. She kissed my knuckles and I felt her tears on my hand.

"I'll give you guys some time," Alice murmured.

She left and Bella moved closer. With my glasses, I could see how truly shattered she was. Her face was unnaturally pale, with dark circles under eyes. Her curls were limp and she easily lost fifteen pounds. "I've missed you," she whispered, tears streaming down her face. "I've missed you so much, Edward."

I smiled, reaching my hand up and caressing her pale cheek. She was so beautiful, but something haunted her. Her eyes, which were so full of life and light, were dimmed, empty. Swallowing, I rasped, "What happened?"

She blew out a breath, shaky and low. She told me everything that happened, from the moment she was shaken awake the night I was abducted, to my subsequent rescue almost twenty-four hours later from a dingy, dirty and abandoned farmhouse in Dekalb. My Bella, my sweet, loving Bella had enacted the rite of vengeance, killing Royce King, after shooting him in the balls. Her voice choked up as she described what she did, shaking uncontrollably. I wanted to pull her into my arms, hold her until she cried her eyes out, but my body was aching, sore and holding her hand was causing me excruciating pain.

"We should be on our honeymoon right now," Bella whispered. "Wherever that was supposed to be." She gave me a half-hearted smile, trying to make a joke.

"And we'll have it. We'll still go, _cara_ ," I vowed. "We'll have our wedding, and I plan to give you the world. That has not changed." She trembled, more tears flowing down her cheeks. "Don't cry, Bella. I hate that I can't comfort you."

"I'm happy you're alive," she said. "I'm worried about you and I love you. I'm afraid you won't want me. Especially after what I did!"

 _Fuck the pain._ I pulled on Bella's hand and she stubbornly sat still, her crying becoming hysterical. "Bella, moving is an issue. I can't just lay here while you cry. Please, let me hold you," I choked out.

"I'll hurt you," she whimpered, curling up.

"I don't care. I need to hold you," I said. She sniffled and crawled onto the bed, gingerly wrapping her arms around me. I lifted my one arm, holding her as tightly as I could. Every inch of me burned in agony, but I didn't care. My girl, my love, had gone through this alone and I wasn't there. Feeling my arm around her body, caused her to grip my hospital gown and her tears, silent, but steady, soaked my shoulder. "I'm sorry, Bella. I wish …"

"It's not your fault, Edward," she said, her voice raspy and unbearably sad. She shuddered, trying to move away. "I've got to be hurting you."

"You are, but I don't fucking care. I need to hold you as much as you need to be held," I whispered, closing my eyes. If my eyes were closed, I didn't have to contend with the blurry vision. I prayed that it was just temporary. What good is a mob boss who can't see when he fires a gun? _Focus on your girl, Cullen._ I turned my head, kissing her forehead and she snuggled closer, tension leaving her body. Her tears slowed and she seemed to melt against me. "Better?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "I've been held, hugged and loved on by everyone in your family, plus Jacob and Uncle Jimmy. I love them all, but it's not the same. I wanted you. I needed you. You were right there, so close, but no fully here."

"Nightmares?" I asked.

"More like night terrors," she choked out. "I know I'm fucked in the head right now." She shivered, curling up even tighter and snuggling closer to me.

"I know that this is last thing on your mind, but what about school?"

"I'm not going back," Bella replied. "I can't … I want to, but I think my time would be better spent by your side. I'm still going to practice psychology, but I'm going to help your guys. PTSD is a big deal, Edward. I know I'm struggling with it and that you will, at some point, have some form of it. I want to be able to help them. When I'm not acting like your psychologist, I'm going to be assisting you in HR in your office. Pull background checks and whatnot. I've already emailed my advisor, informing her that I was not going to continue with the program."

"When did you do that?" I asked, idly playing with her hair.

"While you were sleeping," she murmured. "I haven't been home. I've been staying here. Jake got my laptop and I …"

"But, your dream," I frowned. "I don't want you to … You can't give that up, _cara._ "

"My dream is to be married to you and I'm not giving it up," she replied, standing up and kissing me tenderly on the jaw. "I can do some good. Alice is also talking about bringing me on as a consultant in her private practice." She sat up and moved back to the seat, twining our fingers together. "Maybe, in time, I'll go back to finish my masters, but now? I can't."

"I just feel … This is my fault," I growled.

"No, it's not, Edward. You just need to focus on you. Your job is to get better, to rehab your shoulder, to give yourself time to heal from this ordeal," Bella whispered. "I love you, Edward."

"I love you so much, _cara_ ," I whispered.

"Now, rest. I'll be here. I'll always be here," she smiled, her eyes shimmering with tears.

 **BPOV**

Edward spent another two days in the clinic. His body was littered with bruises and he couldn't walk until that last day. Even then, Jasper and Emmett had to help him to the bathroom. His body was worn down, bruised and battered. His vision slowly improved, but Alice did bring in a specialist, determining that Edward would need laser corrective surgery to repair the damage to his corneas. His contacts had scratched the hell out of his eyes during his time with Royce and Stephan, making his vision permanently blurry. Contacts were no longer an option and he'd have to wear glasses, but he'd rather do that than be blind.

When he was released from the clinic, one of the rooms on the first floor had been redecorated as a bedroom since he really couldn't climb stairs without being winded. There was a queen-sized bed, piled with fluffy pillows. In addition to the bedroom, there was a nurse on duty with medications, mainly for pain and an antibiotic for the injury on his back. I'd yet to even look at that.

Knowing what was done to him, my stomach churned and it broke my heart at what was done to him. Those monsters had burned my Edward, branded him out of hatred. It made me sick. He'd been permanently scarred and every time I'd see his back, I'd be reminded of that hatred. I shuddered and tried not to cry, my heart shattering with that reminder. Royce King and Stephan Romani were monsters, getting what they deserved, but they encroached on my happily ever after.

Would I even get my happily ever after?

Did Edward even want to get married?

Did I?

 _Of course, you do, idiot!_

There was a loud banging on the door. I shook my head, trying to clear it and stopping the tears. The water in the shower had turned cold. I'd spent most of my morning routine perseverating over what I couldn't control. "Bells, you okay?" asked Alice, through the door.

"Um, fine," I answered, shivering and shaking my head.

"Sure, honey. You've been in the shower for an hour," she snorted. "Edward was worried that you'd drowned up there."

"Sorry," I mumbled, hastily turning off the water and wrapping my body in a fluffy towel. Alice walked in. "Um, kind of naked here. I was …"

"He heard you, sweetie. You were crying," she said. _Crying was understatement. I was sobbing. I hoped the water would cover my hysterical tears._ "He's worried. We all are."

"I'm fine," I grumped, wiping my cheeks. "Seriously, I'm cold and naked. Can I get a few moments to get dressed?" She pursed her lips, leaving me, but kept the door open. I rolled my eyes, brushing my teeth and hastily going through my morning routine, brushing my teeth and blow-drying my hair. I dressed casually in a pair of yoga pants and an oversized sweatshirt. It was huge on me, belonging to Edward. Food and eating were not high on my list of priorities. Getting Edward healthy was number one.

Alice was sitting on the edge of my bed, scrolling through her phone. She blinked up, her nose wrinkled. "Nope, not that. Put on some jeans and something other than one of Edward's sweatshirts. We're going out."

"No, Alice. I can't," I growled.

"Yes, you can. You haven't left the clinic and now, your house, in almost a week. I'm worried. Esme's worried. _Edward's_ worried," she reiterated. "You've lost weight and you look like a corpse. We're going out."

"Where?" I asked, crossing my arms. "I don't want to be gone too long."

"You are getting pampered. You should be on your honeymoon, celebrating a long and wonderful marriage, have great sex, but instead, your fiancé was abducted and tortured for nearly a day. You deserve a break," Alice said. "I love you. I'm saying this as your friend and physician. You need a break. A few hours away from the constant reminder of what happened to Edward, the happiness that was paused and your constant anger and fear."

Tears welled in my eyes. She shot up, hugging me and I clung to her, crying quietly. Her hands were moving soothingly on my back. "I know it's overwhelming, sweetie. He's okay."

"Is he?" I whispered. "He can't see, he's bruised and his back …"

"I'm bringing in a plastic surgeon to examine the wound. Dr. Tassic gave me his name and he should be able to minimize the scarring," Alice said, wiping my cheeks. She took my hands, trying to get me to move. "Bella? Come on."

"Fear is a powerful thing," I choked out. "I can't … I'm afraid to go."

"Why?" Alice asked. "Royce and Stephan are dead. Their organization is in ruins. You're protected and you're one tough bitch."

"What if something happens? And Edward … he needs me," I hissed. "And what if the cops … I killed someone, Alice. In cold blood. I knowingly and willingly fired a weapon, ending someone's life. I … killed Royce. I'm … I don't know if I can get over that. I was so angry that Royce and Stephan were so hell-bent on … but, I didn't need to kill him."

"Yes, you did. They were hell-bent on ending our family. You took those animals out of the equation, Bells." Alice knelt in front of me, taking my hands. "Edward will be okay. Jasper and Emmett are staying with him."

"That's not putting my mind at ease, Alice. They were with him the night he was abducted," I snapped. "If I see him, I'll know he's safe." I knew my reasoning was irrational. I couldn't be by his side forever, but it was too soon. I had to stay. Alice hugged me and I stiffly sat there. "I … I don't know what to do, Alice. I'm falling apart."

"Another reason why you need to get out, get away," she said. "You pushed me after my assault. You helped me more than words can describe and I'm doing the same. How about this? Not the full spa day I had planned, but a pedicure? Maybe lunch?"

"A pedicure," I whispered, my mind reeling and fear still very real. "I can do that. Lunch is pushing it."

"Okay, that's a step. A small step, but a step," Alice said encouragingly.

"But, I'm not changing. I'm sticking my feet into hot, bubbly water and getting toes painted. They don't care what I look like," I said. Alice chuckled, nodding and dragging me to my feet. She handed me some flip flops and we went downstairs. Edward was sitting in the family room, watching television with Emmett and Jasper. He smiled brightly when he saw me. His face was still bruised, but they were turning an ugly yellow. His eyes were still puffy, but his glasses masked the puffiness. I walked over to Edward, sitting next to him and gingerly wrapping my arms around his neck. He smelled like his cologne, fabric softener and my shampoo. "Are you using my strawberry shampoo?"

"I miss sleeping next to you since the warden won't allow it, and smelling you," Edward grumped, shooting Alice a glower.

"I know how much you two like to cuddle. Your ribs are still healing. We don't want you to cause permanent damage while you hold Bella or vice versa," Alice argued. "Another week, Edward."

"I agree with you," I whispered, putting my head on his good shoulder. "But, my shampoo?"

"It smelled like you. Be grateful I didn't use your body spray," he quipped, kissing my forehead and pulling me closer. "Though, I smell my cologne on you."

"God, you two are nauseating," quipped Emmett, but his smile was soft and loving. "Even worse than before."

"Fuck off, asshole," Edward grumped, leaning his cheek against my head. "Alice said you're going out?"

"I'm being forced," I muttered. "I don't want to go."

"Bella, I'm starting the car," Alice snorted. "If you're not out in the car in five minutes, I'm having Emmett carrying you out, kicking and screaming. Understood?" She picked her keys and went outside. Jasper followed her and Emmett disappeared, but I knew he was nearby.

"Bella, _dolce_ , I know you don't want to go, but I think you need a moment away," Edward said, his voice deep and sad. "Ever since … you've been caring for me, loving me and by my side every step of the way. I love you so much and I know the anxiety, the fear of being separated, but it's killing you."

"No, killing someone is killing me," I hissed. I closed my eyes and tears trickled down my cheeks. Edward awkwardly tried to wipe them away. The angle at which I was sitting made it difficult.

" _Cara,_ that is the part of this life that I never wanted you to experience," he whispered brokenly. "You are so good, so filled with life and light. I'm sorry that …"

"I made the decision, Edward. Me, no one forced me," I said. "I have to pay the consequences. I hated what I did, but he deserved it for what he did to you, to Rosalie and to everybody else. I'll have to live with the guilt."

"I love you, Bella. I'm grateful for what you did for me. You saved my life," he said, cupping my chin and forcing me to look up at him. Despite the bruises and swelling, he was still so handsome. "I'll be there while you heal from the ordeal, but I can't have you … To see the light dim in your eyes? I don't want that for you, _cara_. I want you to be happy. I want you to be safe, not afraid of what might happen. The threat is gone, Bella."

"Until the next one comes," I grumbled. "Who knows when that will be?"

"I don't know, but I want you to be happy. Now that you truly know my life, can you be happy with me?" he asked.

"Yes," I answered. "You promised me a happily ever after. I'm still waiting for it. I love you. That hasn't changed. I'm just … I'm struggling with what I did."

"Every moment of every day, I think about the people that I've killed. But, each of those people that I've killed, they deserved it," Edward murmured. "They threatened my family, the ones that I loved more than anything. They threatened you, my mother, my brother, my father. I'd do it again in a heartbeat, to protect you."

" _Bambina_ ," Emmett called. "Alice is giving me the evil eye. I don't want to carry you out of here."

"I'm almost done, Em," Edward said. "I know that what you did is … it's beyond unsettling. I love you and I'm proud that you protected me when I couldn't. I hate that it came to that, but I'll be with you every step of the way to come to grips with what you did. I don't want that light within you to dim. I refuse to stifle it." He kissed me, his fingers grazing over my cheeks. "Now, go have fun with Alice."

"I'm still afraid that something will happen to you," I choked out.

"We live in a secured subdivision and I will be with Jasper and Emmett. Felix is in the garage apartment. I think that Dad is coming, too," Edward said. "Please, love. Have fun with Alice. Don't worry about me."

"I'll always worry about you," I whispered, tracing his scruffy jaw. He leaned into my caress, his eyes fluttering shut. Impatient honking broke through the house. "I really don't want to go."

"Bella, _cara_ , please. Just have fun and take a moment away. I'll be here. I'm not going anywhere," he vowed, kissing my palm. I sighed, looking up at him. "I love you, more than my own life, _mi amore_."

I smiled weakly, pressing my lips to his. Getting up, I walked toward the front door. My heart was shattering and my body was quaking. Emmett put his hand on my shoulder. I jumped. He hugged me, and I turned on my heel, leaving the house, despite my debilitating fear. Alice took my hand, giving me an understanding smile. "Just go," I choked out, pulling my legs up to my chest. "The sooner we leave, the sooner we get home."

"Okay, Bells," she said, backing up and pulling away from the house.

 **EPOV**

"I'm worried about _bambina,_ " Emmett said as he helped me walk around the backyard for my daily 'therapy'. "She was shattered, completely freaking out about leaving you, Edward."

"I know," I said, wheezing and sitting down on the ledge of the patio. "I hate seeing the dimness in her eyes. She really killed Royce?"

"Without batting an eyelash. He was a complete ass, Ed," Emmett said. "He got what he deserved. She shot him … BOOM … right in the 'nads."

"She told me," I said, looking out over the lake. My vision was slowly improving, but I'd always need glasses. Once my face was clear of the bruises, I was heading to see a specialist to discuss the surgery to repair the damage to my corneas. "She's … she needs something to hold on to. Her constant reminder was our 'happily ever after.' I know that her heart was broken to a million pieces when she was told of my abduction. I feel like a fucking idiot. I fell for such a novice, such a clichéd situation. I'm pissed at myself for not questioning the bathroom situation. I'm pissed that Garrett, or Vladimir, was …"

"That's my fault," Emmett frowned. "I'm so sorry. If only I hadn't given Seth so much shit about Rose. We would have never had to bring in another body guard."

"We let our guard down, period," I said. "We were so focused on the ascension ceremony and then the wedding."

"That's what Bella needs. She needs her wedding. You both need your wedding," Emmett said. "You need your wedding and you need a long honeymoon. Mom wants grandbabies."

"As awesome as that sounds, making love to my fiancée and having a beautiful wedding, I'd like to be able to walk without being in awful pain," I said. Emmett helped me up. "Besides, I think Bella is freaked out by my burn on my back. Fuck, I am. I'm afraid of what I'll see. Alice takes care of cleaning it, along with the nurses. It hurts like a mother fucker and it's huge, spanning the width of my back, stopping just below my ribcage."

"I'd rather have you bruised, scarred and broken than dead, Edward," Emmett said, his eyes sad. "You're my best friend and I can't run the family. I'm not you. I don't have … I can't be like you, Edward. We need you." He helped me back inside and I took a pain pill. "Are you still planning on marrying, _bambina?_ "

"As soon as I'm able," I said. "With everything that happened, I know we need to … Is Mom home?"

"I like the way you think, Edward," Emmett said, pulling out his cell phone. A short phone call later, Mom and Dad arrived and we began to plan my wedding. Everything was going to be the same, save for the date. Mom pulled some strings and we got the church to accommodate the change, explaining that there had been a family emergency. We were given several dates by the pastor and we reserved all of them so we could discuss with Bella. Once we decided on a new date, we'd be able to choose a location for the reception since our original location was _not_ an option.

Bella returned a couple of hours later. She was a little loopy, leaning heavily on Alice and I looked at our physician. "I had to give her a Xanax. She was fine while she got a pedicure, but she got really jittery when she heard a car backfire." Bella looked at me. Her eyes were glassy and she was unsteady on her feet. She stumbled and Emmett caught her, scooping her into his arms. "Put her to bed, Emmett."

"My bed," I said, brushing her hair away from her face. "She needs … she needs to rest and I'm going to join her."

"Edward," Alice groaned. "Your ribs."

"I don't care," I snapped. "Bella's suffering as much as me. She was upset about going and something happened that caused her to have a panic attack, forcing you to medicate her." Emmett carried her to my room, tucking her into the bed.

"You take care of her, Edward. We'll make dinner and I'll have Alice help me with the plans," Mom said, brushing my hair back. I smiled and turned to go to the bedroom. Even though Bella was resting, her face was not at peace. Tear tracks marred her pale cheeks. I crawled into bed, sliding in behind her. I snaked my arm around her waist. She turned and buried her nose into my neck, clinging to my shirt.

We slept through dinner and to the following morning. When Bella woke up, she gasped. "I shouldn't be here. I don't want to hurt you," she cried.

"Bella," I said, taking her hand. "I'm fine. We both needed the rest. How do you feel?"

"Human," she said, giving me a half-smile. "Sore, though. My back …"

"I can imagine you're probably carrying all of the stress there," I murmured, pushing her back onto the bed. "Alice told me about the car backfiring."

"PTSD," she grumped. "How come you're not more … I don't know … fucked up?"

"Bella, I'm fucked up. Trust me," I said, laying on my side and grimacing as my ribs were tweaked. "But, I've seen the ugliness. I've caused the ugliness. My physical injuries are … they're more troublesome than the nightmares." She pouted. I ran my finger along her lower lip. "We'll get through this, _dolce._ "

"I'm not sweet anymore," she sniffled, a lone tear falling down her cheek.

"Bella, you'll always be my sweet girl," I said. Her stomach rumbled, as did mine. "Come on, baby. Let's get something eat. You didn't really eat much yesterday and we both slept through dinner." We got up and padded to the kitchen. Bella pushed me into a chair. She worked flawlessly in the kitchen, making a protein-packed breakfast. Her eyes were still undoubtedly sad. She poked at her meal. " _Cara,_ you need to eat."

"I'm afraid that if I eat, I'll just throw it up," she muttered. She blinked up at me. "I'm sorry. I'm trying."

"If you had to do things again, would you claim the rite of vengeance? Would you change your decision?" I asked.

"No," she whispered. "I wanted you back. I got you back. Stephan and Royce, they were evil incarnate. They needed to pay for what they did."

"Then, don't beat yourself up over it, _dolce_ ," I said, cupping her chin and forcing her eyes up to mine. "And you're still _mia dolce_. You always will be." She smiled. "Please eat?"

"I'll try," she said, sitting down next to me. She managed to finish her meal.

"Better?" I asked. She nodded. "Me, too. Do you want to have some coffee outside? It's a lovely day." She poured us both some coffee and we walked outside, settling onto a chaise lounge. We watched the passing boats and listened to the quiet lapping of the water. "Bella?"

"Hmmm?" she replied, her fingers idling tracing along my forearms.

"Will you marry me?" I whispered.

"I already said yes," she answered, looking at me, a tiny, but genuine smile spreading over her face.

"No, will you marry me? I mean, do you still want to marry me?" I asked, my heart stammering against my chest.

"I love you, Edward. I want to marry you," she breathed. "But, we have to … there's a lot to do."

"Pick a day, love," I said. "December 23rd, December 30th or December 31st."

"Wait, what?"

"While you were out, my mom and I, we spoke to the pastor of the church. Those dates are available," I whispered, sliding my arm around her waist and nuzzling her neck. "When do you want to get married?"

She turned, looking into my eyes and tears welled in her chocolate orbs. "You really want this? Want me?"

"Bella, you're my forever," I said. "I waited thirty-six years for you. I'm not giving you up. I'm like a fungus. You're stuck with me."

"You're not a fungus," Bella snorted. "What the hell?"

"You know what I mean," I chuckled, wiping an errant tear away. "Now, when do you want to get married, _dolce_?"

"New Year's Eve," she nodded. "Put this year behind us and start the new year as husband and wife." She bit her lip, looking up at me. "Just one request, though?"

"What?"

"No bachelor or bachelorette parties," she said flatly. "I don't think … no … I can't …"

"Bella, I don't want one. I didn't want one, but I obliged my bridal party," I said. "Look where that got me."

"Well, fuck them. And none of the traditional separation the night before the wedding, too. I know that it seems overbearing, but I can't imagine another nightmare like what happened …" she trailed off, snuggling closer to me and twining our fingers together.

"We stay together, until you get ready for our wedding. That's one thing I do not want to bend on. I want to see your dress when you walk down the aisle to be my wife," I said quietly, reverently.

"That's doable," she whispered. "December 31st. New Year's Eve."

"The wedding of the century," I said, caressing her cheek. "I hate that it's delayed."

"We could go to the courthouse. I mean, we have the marriage license," Bella said, arching a brow, a coy smile on her sweet, soft lips.

"No, I want to marry you. In a church, surrounded by our friends and family. I want the world to know that I love you and that I'm not giving up on us. I'm not denying you a wedding," I said. "I also want to be able to make love to you. I can't do that now. I'm a mess, physically. I still can't see shit and I'm one big walking bruise." I licked my lips, frowning. "I miss being inside you, sharing each other that way."

"I miss you, too," she sighed, turning back around and snuggling in my arms. "But, I'm happy that I got to sleep with you last night. This whole separation bullshit is just that … bullshit."

"Hopefully, by the end of the week, this temporary bedroom will be gone and I'll be able to sleep in my own bed, with my future wife," I said. "For now? I'm just content to hold you."

"I'm happy you're alive," she whispered. "I can't lose you, Edward."

I didn't say anything because she was still coming to grips with the reality of her decision and the real fear that I could not come home one day. We just sat on the chaise lounge, allowing the quiet of our lakeside home to soothe us, but it would be a long time before we were at a point where we felt safe.

 **BPOV**

A month had passed since Edward's abduction and our non-existent wedding. My twenty-sixth birthday had come and gone. I didn't feel much like celebrating. I was helping Edward recuperate from another surgery. He had his corrective surgery for his eyes and it made a world of difference. Contacts were still out of the question due to the damage to his corneas. He was more comfortable wearing glasses. With another surgery, his vision could be completely corrected, but his eyes needed time to recuperate. That's if he decided to go through with it.

His ribs and bruises to his face had improved, along with his strength and stamina. The only wrinkle in his recuperation was the burn to his back. Despite the antibiotics, the wound got infected. Today, Edward was at Chicago Med, undergoing surgery to remove the part of the wound that was causing the damage. He was also getting a skin graft, using some synthetic skin, an experimental procedure, but approved for human use to help with the healing of his wound. Alice was assisting on the procedure, having privileges at Chicago Med.

Several hours later, Edward was done with his surgery and was in recovery. Alice came out, sitting next to me. "Everything went well," she smiled. "It wasn't as bad as we thought. But, we removed the dead tissue, placing on the synthetic skin. A plastic surgeon finished and he'll be okay."

"But, he'll have a scar?" I asked.

"He will, but with this new skin that is grafted onto his back, it won't be as noticeable," Alice murmured. "The most important thing is that he'll be okay. Walking around shirtless at the beach is not doable, since the skin will burn easily, but he wasn't much of a beach person, Bells." She took my hand. "We're keeping him overnight to observe him. He was running a slight fever, but that could be due to the underlying infection."

"Can I see him?" I whispered.

"Not yet. Once he's out of recovery, you can see him," Alice said, hugging me. "He's so much better, sweetie. I'm still worried about you."

"I'm getting there," I shrugged. "I'm okay. I am doing better."

"Good, because Uncle Jimmy is coming here to take you out for lunch. Your birthday was this month and I know you didn't celebrate it," Alice growled, giving me a look that begged for me to defy her.

"I don't want to celebrate it," I groaned, scrubbing my face.

"Well, too bad, so sad," Alice giggled. "Uncle Jimmy's here." She pointed behind me and I saw my uncle. He was walking better and he had a gift bag. "I'll call you when Edward is settled in his room. Love you, Bells."

"Come on, baby girl," Uncle Jimmy said, slightly limping. "I want to celebrate your birthday. I know that you were with Edward when he got his eyes looked at, but I want to spoil you. You need to be spoiled, sweetie." I sighed, standing up and hugging my uncle. He led me away, taking me to a nearby diner. "I'm missing some greasy diner food. Is that okay?"

"It's not _your_ greasy diner food," I quipped, but sighed as we sat down at one of the booths. "Though, your diner food wasn't greasy. It was just delicious."

"How are you doing, Bells?" Jimmy asked. "You look a little better. You've gained weight."

"Thanks, Jimmy. Just what every girl wants to hear that I've gained weight," I laughed. "Next, you're going to say my ass is the size of Texas."

"Bells, you were turning into a skeleton for a while, sweetie," Jimmy said. "Now, you look more human."

"Hardy-har-har," I replied, deadpan. A waitress came over and we ordered something to drink. I got some coffee while Jimmy got a soda. "How are things with Sue?"

"Good. We're almost ready to move into the house," Jimmy smiled. "Sue's condo took longer to sell."

"And your condo?" I asked. "Emmett's business plan?"

"Perfect. Everyone took the deal and Emmett's renovating the condos, turning the condos into some hipster Mecca," Jimmy nodded, perusing the menu. "I wonder if their omelets are like mine? Or … a patty melt! That sounds good."

"Very healthy, Uncle Jimmy?" I snickered.

"I'll have you know that I'm working out a gym with Jasper and Carlisle," Jimmy snickered. "My injury prevents a lot of cardio, but I'm doing some strength training. I'm allowed to indulge every so often." The waitress came and we ordered. Jimmy got a patty melt while I chose a Greek omelet. Jimmy reached next to him and plucked the gift bag sitting on the pleather booth. "Happy birthday, Bells."

"Thank you, Uncle Jimmy," I said, taking the bag. "You didn't have to get me anything."

"Nonsense," Jimmy laughed. "You're my only niece, my only blood. Of course, I'm going to get you a birthday present." He frowned, taking my hand. "Bells, this year has been tough. For both of us. With the loss of The Swan Dive, your illness and everything in between … you need some happiness. I think you will finally find happiness now. Edward is slowly getting better."

"He is. It's me that's struggling," I frowned. I played with the curling ribbon. I couldn't speak of it because of our public location, but Jimmy knew.

"Baby girl, you're stronger than you give yourself credit for," Jimmy said, squeezing my hand gently. "You are getting stronger every day. But, enough discussion about such unpleasant things. Open your present, sweetheart."

I gave him a tiny smile. I pulled out the tissue paper and found a leather journal with a pen. "Jimmy …" I breathed.

"You said that journaling helped. You encouraged Alice to do so, why not listen to your own advice," he said. "Write down your thoughts, process what happened, sweetheart."

"How do you know what I need, Uncle Jimmy?" I whispered, getting up and hugging him tightly. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too, kiddo," he said, kissing my forehead. "Next year will be better. I can feel it."

"I hope so," I smiled, snuggling to his side. The waitress came with our food and I stayed glued to Jimmy's side. He told me about his new house, his budding relationship with Sue and the possibility of opening another diner near his new home. Lunch passed by quickly and my cell phone chirped with a text from Alice.

 _He's been moved. Room 612-A. He's awake and talking to the doctor. He loves you, but would like to see his fiancée. Hugs ~ Ali._

"Edward's been moved from recovery," I said.

"Come on, sweetheart," Jimmy said, tossing some money onto the table. "Your future awaits." We left the diner, making our way back to the hospital. We rode up to the sixth floor and went to Edward's private room. He was snoozing, but woke up when I walked in.

" _Dolce,_ " he smiled, giving me a drugged smirk.

"How are you?" I asked, sitting down and taking his hand.

"Enjoying some good drugs," he chuckled. "I'm glad you're here, love."

"Me, too," I said.

Edward squinted. "Jimmy?"

"Yeah, Edward," Jimmy said. "You look a lot better than the last time I saw you. No bruises." Edward nodded. "I'm going to head out. I just wanted to give my niece her birthday present and spend some time with her. I'll call you later, Bells. Try to sleep, baby girl."

"I will, Uncle Jimmy," I said, hugging him tightly. "Love you."

"Love you more, baby girl," Jimmy said, brushing my hair back. "Feel better, Edward." Jimmy kissed my cheek and left us in the hospital room.

"Are you okay, Edward? Do you need pain killers?" I asked.

"No. They make me fuzzy," he said. "I'm okay. I just want to see you. Hold your hand. Make love to you …"

"Um, Edward, really?" I snorted. "You just had surgery."

"Sorry, another side effect of the meds. Truth serum," he snickered, threading our fingers together. "The doctor seems to think that the surgery went well."

"I hope so," I said, leaning my cheek against his bicep. "I hate that you're in pain." He didn't respond. I looked up and saw that he was sleeping, holding me to his chest. "Sleep, love. The sooner you rest, the quicker you'll feel better."

 **EPOV**

I was released from the hospital after two days. A month after my surgery, in early October, I was able to see my back and the damage done to it. It was large, spreading between my shoulder blades. On the edges of my scar, I could see the remaining colors of my once vibrant Italy tattoo. The plastic surgeon said I could not get it repaired, not with the synthetic skin. It angered me, but I thought of a way to put the tattoo back on my body, along with the tattoo of my family's crest on my skin, probably along my ribcage and on my chest.

However, it seemed almost sacrilegious to get a tattoo from someone else other than Demetri. I wanted to pay my respects to my fallen comrade, but I wanted him to be the one to …

 _God, I'm not making any sense._

"Edward," Mom breathed. "We got it!" I looked up and saw her as she stood near the entrance of my office.

"Got what?" I asked.

"We got a reception hall," she beamed. "It's not the original reception hall, but something far more elegant. It was a last-minute cancellation at The Westin Chicago River North. We have their largest banquet hall from two until the following day, for a brunch."

I blinked, turning to my computer and looked up The Westin on my computer. "It's nice," I said. I wasn't impressed, to be honest.

"But, you hate it," she frowned.

"It's not that," I mumbled. "I was hoping for the Crystal Gardens at Navy Pier or at least the Grand Ballroom."

"With New Year's Eve, it's not … possible?" she trailed off as my cell phone rang. I didn't recognize the number, but it was a Chicago area code.

"Edward Cullen?" I barked.

"Mr. Cullen? This is Deanna from Navy Pier?" a woman said. "You left a message about possibly hosting your wedding here?"

"Yes, I did," I said. "I was involved in an accident the day before my wedding and we had to reschedule the whole thing. The original venue we booked is unavailable for the new date, New Year's Eve. THIS New Year's Eve."

"Normally, we wouldn't be able to oblige to your request, but the event scheduled in the Crystal Garden has been cancelled. If you'd like it, it's yours, at a cost, of course," she said. "With it being on a holiday, the price has doubled."

"Money is not a concern," I said. "Can I use my credit card?" She responded happily and I put down the entire payment for the reception, meal, and everything else needed for our reception to be at Navy Pier. When I was done with that, I told my mom to cancel the Westin and I reserved a block of rooms at a nearby hotel, the W Chicago-Lakeshore. I also got the best room for Bella and me, the Extreme Wow Suite. I wanted us to have a couple of days alone before I'd sweep her away on a honeymoon that she would never forget, which I was still in the process of planning.

"Things are starting to take shape," Mom smiled as she scrolled through pictures on my computer. "You have a date, a church, a venue and a hotel."

"All we need is for the wedding to happen," I said. "You've sent out emails and letters to everyone who'd RSVP'ed, right?"

"A handful are unable to come, but yes," Mom nodded. "Bella is meeting with Lauren next week to try on her gown. With her not eating, I'm afraid the dress might need to be taken in."

"All of this has been overwhelming for her," I frowned. "I asked her if she still wanted to marry me and she said that's the only thing she's certain about right now. She's working with Alice, talking about her fears of being caught and the severe separation anxiety."

"Are _you_ okay?" Mom asked.

"There are moments where I'm back in that barn or in that warehouse, but that's if I smell something or I hear something that reminds me of that situation," I frowned. "Thankfully, we don't have a lot of barns, smelling like manure or hay. You know?"

"Edward," she chided.

"I was really out of it, Mom. Vladimir beat the piss out of me. I drifted in and out of consciousness because of the amount of pain I was in. The only time I was really lucid was when I was talking to Collin and right before Dad shot Stephan," I shrugged. "After that, I remembered seeing Bella, holding her hand and then waking up several days later, not being able to see."

"And now?"

"Now? I'm working with Jacob and Seth to rehab my arm. Alice is putting some salve on my back daily to reduce the scarring and my vision is almost back to normal with the help of glasses," I said.

"Emotionally, Edward. How are you emotionally?" Mom asked, arching a brow.

"I'm okay, Mom. Yes, I have nightmares, but nothing like what Bella's dealing with," I whispered. "We're both broken right now. I want to help her, but I'm afraid I'll say the wrong thing. She's the lightness in my dark world. Now? She's dimming so fast because of her active role in finding me." I got up, grimacing as my bones ached. "I never wanted her to kill, Mom. You haven't."

"Yes, I have," she replied.

"What?" I gasped.

"It was just after your birth," she said. "Billy was out with your father and I needed formula because you were persnickety and wouldn't take breast milk. I left you with the nanny and I went to the store to pick up formula and a few other things. I wanted to have a romantic evening with your father. Anyway, I paid for my things and I was walking home. One of Aro's men followed me, dragging me into an alley with every intention of raping me."

"Mom!" I cried.

"He didn't get that far," she said, wiping her cheeks. "I had a gun strapped to my thigh, at your father's insistence. I pulled it and I shot at my attacker. I got him once in the chest and another time in the head. I killed him. Shaking, I picked up my stuff and ran back to the condo. I told Billy what happened and he took a few of your father's men with him to verify that my would-be rapist was dead. They also cleaned up my mess, talking to the police. But, I couldn't sleep after that. I'd just stay in your room, holding you close and crying.

"Carlisle was obviously worried, concerned about my mental health. He never wanted the darkness to touch me either, but it did. With his patience, his love and him talking to me about how I protected myself, my family, I was able to bounce back. It took over a year before I could have your father touch me without flashbacks. Bella doesn't have to contend with that, but she needs you, Edward. She was fierce as a lioness, ready to attack, but now? She's dealing with the aftermath. She's cut out for this life. She's strong, but her soft side needs to be nurtured. You do that with your kind words and constant love, but you need to force her to talk about what she did." Mom walked over to me, kissing my forehead. "Love her, baby, but encourage her to come to grips with her emotions about what she did. Only you can help her with that."

With her advice, my mom left and I sat down, trying to figure out how to help my fiancée. I needed to get her out of the darkness and back into the light.

The only way to do that was to force her deeper into the darkness, but it's always darkest before the dawn. I prayed that was just around the corner.

 **A/N: Up next will be Edward trying to help her. In reality, he's the only one who can. He's been in her shoes. Esme could help her, but it needs to be him. Plus, we're finally, _FINALLY_ going to have the wedding and some citrusy time. It's been far too long, don't you think? **

**So, there'll be one more chapter, maybe two? Plus, an epilogue. And there will be a sequel, that will begin posting probably in the summer-ish. Leave me some loving!**


	29. Chapter 29

**So, none of this is mine. I wrote the first chapter for a contest and now, I'm expanding it. What I own … a condo and too many books. What I don't … _Twilight_ and all its characters.**

 **Up next will be Edward trying to help her. In reality, he's the only one who can. He's been in her shoes. Esme could help her, but it needs to be him. Plus, we're finally, _FINALLY_ going to have the wedding and some citrusy time. It's been far too long, don't you think?**

 **Chapter Twenty-Nine**

 **EPOV**

The room was dark, save for a fire lit in the fireplace and a dim light over an overstuffed chair. Bella was curled up, writing in her journal. It was Halloween, two and half months since my abduction and what should have been our wedding. Almost everyone, except for Bella and me, were at my parents' home for a Halloween party. Bella didn't feel like going and honestly, neither did I. I wanted to use this time to talk to Bella, to help her confront her demons. I pushed up my glasses, making my way into the living room. Bella stared into the fire, her brow furrowed, the pen tapping gently on her lips.

"Penny for your thoughts, _dolce_?" I asked, walking toward her. She jumped, looking back at me with a slight scowl. She resented her nickname, not at all feeling like the sweet girl I'd met over a year ago. "I see you writing, love."

"Don't call me _dolce_ ," she said, closing her journal and her voice taking on a cold edge.

"Why not?" I asked. "You are _mia dolce._ " She sighed, leaning her head against the chair and curling into a tighter ball. "Bella, come with me."

"I'm comfortable here. I just want to be alone," she answered.

"Too bad, so sad," I said, taking her hand and pulling her up. I took her spot on the chair, curling her on my lap. "Every day, _dolce_ , I see you. I hate that you're sad, empty. That's my fault." _It will always be my fault._

"No, Edward, it's not," she answered, looking at me, but her eyes were dead. "It's Royce and Stephan's fault. Not yours. Never yours, baby." She wrinkled her nose. "I just hate feeling like this. You're alive. You're healing, but I can't shake …" Her eyes were welling with tears. "Why can't I stop seeing Royce? What I did to him?" She shuddered and tears spilled onto her pale cheeks.

"Would you change the outcome? Would you not kill him and have this war between the Bratva and the Consortium continue? My death?" I asked. She blushed, shaking her head and she let out a strangled sound. I held her closely, kissing her neck and inhaling deeply, allowing her scent to calm me. "Bella, you are still sweet, good, and perfect."

"I'm not," she scoffed, hastily wiping her cheeks.

"You are," I said, taking her chin and forcing her eyes to mine. "Bella, you are strong, beautiful and it was that strength that saved me. I would have died out there, without you." I kissed her and stood up. "Come with me, love."

"Where are we going?" she asked, confused.

"You'll see," I said, taking out a set of car keys. I threaded my fingers with hers, putting on a coat and we went out to my car, my Volvo. I helped her into the passenger seat, walking to the driver's side. Backing out of the garage, I made my way to the city, driving to what was once the center of the Bratva in Chicago. It was once a shining jewel, filled with powerful men, enslaved women and a deadly fighting ring. Now? It was a crumbling building, abandoned by the cowards left behind after word of Royce's death had reached the building.

"Why are we here?" she asked. "Wasn't this Royce's stronghold?"

"Yes, and we're here because I want you to see what you helped do," I said, taking out a gun from the glove compartment. Bella stiffened. "The Bratva have been demolished with no discernable leader, but there's still a threat. This is not a safe neighborhood." Her eyes were still on the gun, the gun that she'd given me for my birthday. I slid the gun into a holster on my belt and got out of the car. Opening the passenger side door, I held out my hand. Bella took it, her eyes wide. I threaded my fingers with hers and made my way toward the building.

"I'm surprised at how much this place has deteriorated," she said.

"Some of it was due to my men," I chuckled, pushing open the front door and the scent of body odor, rot and death filled my nose. Bella shuddered, her arms wrapping around my waist. "I may have been out of it with the injuries and my healing, but I was still in control of my men, my family. Emmett ran the business. He's still in charge of our business, venture capitalism, investing and real estate. I'm handling the illegal aspects of our business, but Jasper has been going in my stead since I'm still recuperating. I've never had a vacation. I'm taking this time, recuperating from my injuries, but also, wanting to spend time with you."

"And you take me this romantic location," Bella deadpanned, gesturing to the crumbling building.

I snickered, tugging her further into the building. We made our way past the fighting ring and up the stairs to where Royce had his office. The office had been emptied and the business that Royce had overseen was taken over by my family. I could see evidence of the massacre that happened here. Blood had been spilled and hastily cleaned. Bella sat down at the desk, her eyes narrowed at the information on the calendar. "He had it labeled on the calendar. 'Destroy Cullen Consortium.'" She looked next to the calendar, seeing a to-do list in Royce's handwriting. She blanched. "He was going to …"

"What, love?" I asked, moving to stand next to her. I saw a phone number and Bella's name written next to it. Underneath that there were three words. 'Get highest price.' "He was going sell you as a sex slave." I crouched in front of her, taking her shaking hands. "Do you regret shooting him?"

"No," she sneered. "I'm not a slave. I only … you … I only want to be with you." Her eyes slid shut, tears rolling down her cheeks. "It wouldn't have stopped."

"Royce was a monster, only thinking about his needs and not worrying about the consequences of his actions," I said. "As much as I hated Rosalie, she didn't deserve what he did to her. He only saw her as a way to get to me, consequences be damned. As a result, he broke her with his repeated rapes, sharing her with his colleagues and using her as an object." I took her face in my hands. "Things would have continued, Bella. More women would be …"

"He deserved it," Bella whispered.

"He more than deserved it, Bella. I know that you are beating yourself up for killing him, but you saw what he's capable of doing. What he did to Rosalie, what he did to me," I said. "What he would have done to you."

"How can I look at myself in the mirror? How can I think of myself as …?" she trailed off. "I'm a killer, Edward."

"So, am I," I breathed. "But, I'd kill anyone who would hurt you. I can't be without you. I love you and I just want you. I want you whole and happy. I miss your smile, your snarky comments and your light."

"My light?" she asked.

"You are my light, Bella. You made me … you bathed me in your light and I miss feeling that warmth from you," I explained. "You're here, but not here." I pressed her hand to my chest. I stared at her and she sniffled, tears falling down her pale cheeks. "You give me strength, Bella. You give me hope. I've never loved another as much as I love you."

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I really am. I'm trying to …" There were a few gunshots. She whimpered. "Edward …"

"Let's get out of here," I said. I took her hand and led her back outside and into the car. I pulled away and made my way toward our condo in the city. As we drove, I saw a tattoo parlor. It looked pretty empty, but caught my attention. "Do you want to see …?"

"Tattoo parlor?" she said, her eyes wide. She bit her lip. "Yes, let's go." I parked the car and we went inside.

A tall man stood up, his hair messy and a dark brown. "Welcome to Chicago Ink. I'm Alec and this is my shop. What can I do for you?"

"I recently had an accident and had a tattoo forcibly removed," I shuddered. "I can't replace it … well, I can replace it, but not where it was originally located. I want to see some of your artwork."

"Where do you want your replacement tat?" Alec asked.

"Originally, my tattoo was on my back, but I think I want it on my arm," I said. I blinked over to Bella and twined my fingers with hers. "Or a swan on my chest, above my heart. I don't know. Let's see?"

"A romantic," Alec smiled. "What's your name, man?"

"My name is Edward and this is Bella, my fiancée," I said, shaking his hand. Bella stayed close to me, but shook his hand as well. "Do you have some pictures of your artwork?"

"Yeah, Edward," Alec nodded, handing me a large binder.

Bella and I sat down, perusing the pictures. Alec's style was a combination of realistic, with water color accents. Bella stopped him, seeing a picture of a swan. "That's pretty," she said. "Too feminine for you, but pretty."

"I think that would be nice here," I said, tracing down her ribcage, the opposite side of her Cullen tattoo.

"Alec would see my goodies," Bella quipped, her brow arched. "I thought they were just for you."

"They are, but I think I'm willing to …" I purred, smiling seductively. "I want you to get this." She bit her lip and nodded. "I still want to find something for me. That represents you, my love."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't be listening, but I think this would be nice for you, Edward," Alec said, flipping the pages and finding another representation of a swan. "This wouldn't be good on your chest, but your calf, wrapping around your leg."

"I like it," Bella said.

"And this one, my girlfriend, Heidi, can put on your fiancée," Alec smiled. "Do you want to do this?" Bella and I shared a look and the light that had been dimming in her eyes started to twinkle. She smiled, nodding happily. "Excellent!"

 **BPOV**

I gently put on the salve onto my new tattoo. Even while it was healing, I could see how beautiful it was. Edward came into the bathroom, his eyes immediately sought out the ink on my ribcage. "Do you need help with your tattoo?" he asked, his voice deep and husky.

"Please?" I whispered. I cupped my breasts, turning to the side and handing Edward the tube of salve. "I can't get the edges near my shoulder blades." He bent down, kissing my shoulder and carefully rubbing his fingers along my still-healing ink. His touch was tender and wholly innocent, but his eyes were swirling with desire. I licked my lips, staring into his eyes in the mirror. "Thank you, Edward."

He wiped his hands with a towel, sliding his arms around my waist and his lips found the hollow of my neck. "Anything to help you, _dolce_ ," he whispered. "I've missed touching your skin. It's so soft, baby." He blinked up at me, his eyes still dark and predatory. "I've missed this, _us_."

"You're still healing," I said, turning around and moving my arms around his neck. He groaned as he saw a glimpse of my bare breasts. "Perv … my eyes are up here."

"I know," he groaned. "But, seeing just a hint of your body and I'm horny as a teenager. I miss being inside you, baby."

I toyed with his hair, noticing more gray mixed in with the unruly, but soft bronze locks. "I miss our sexy times, too. But, Alice said that your back, while improved, is still very tender. Plus, your ribs …"

"Bella," he sighed, kissing me tenderly and handing me a t-shirt. I pulled it on, frowning and he tugged me into our bedroom. He sat down, pulling me onto his lap, straddling his hips. "Bella, look at me." I did and I blushed. "Why are you afraid of me?"

"I'm not afraid, Edward," I whispered, ducking my head and idly toying with his button-down.

"You are not afraid, but you refuse to look at me. You refuse to see the scar that mars my back," he said, hurt swirling in his evergreen gaze.

"They branded you," I hissed. "It's a cruel reminder of what you endured."

"What I survived, love," he said, unbuttoning his shirt, untucking it and leaving it open. I could see the scar where he'd been shot by his own father, making my heart clench and my stomach churn. "I survived because of you, Bella."

"Edward …" I cried.

"Bella, I love you. All of you," he said, shrugging out of his shirt. "Every inch of your pale skin, every one of your freckles, your scars and your imperfections." I shot him a look. He just smirked. "Not that there are many. You're so beautiful, _dolce_."

"As are you," I said, tracing his collarbone. "Even your scars, but I hate that you were tortured so." He looked at me, his eyes burning into mine. He stood up, bringing me with him. I gripped his biceps. "Edward …"

"I want you to see," he choked out. I nodded and he kissed me, his lips soft and pliant over mine. "I love you, _dolce._ " He pressed his forehead to mine. With a harsh breath, he turned around and across his muscular back and shoulders was an ugly, nasty scar. I could see glimpses of what was once a vibrant tattoo. The skin was pink with new growth and smooth in the center, but ragged and discolored at the edges, where he'd had the infection.

"Does it hurt?" I asked, tears splashing down my cheeks. My stomach twisted. I reached up to touch his scar, but I pulled my hand back.

"Parts of it will always hurt," Edward said, looking over his shoulder. "Nerve damage, the doctors said. There's also a part that I'll never feel. Again, nerve damage." Silent tears continued falling from my eyes. I gently ran my finger along his shoulder blade. Goose flesh erupted along his skin and he shuddered.

"I'm sorry," I gasped.

"Please, don't. It felt good," he whispered. "Your touch always feels good."

"Do you remember?" I asked, tracing the edge of his burn. He shivered.

"I remember very little," he answered quietly, almost robotically. "I was beat up, tormented and tortured. Parts of my brain felt it was too much and I don't remember the pain of my skin being burned. The only memory I have is that smell. Burning skin? It's got a distinct scent and that I will _never_ forget." He closed his eyes as I placed my hand on the center of his burned skin. I slid my arms around his waist and pressed my cheek against his slightly chilled skin. He barked out a cry, his hands clinging to mine.

"I'm sorry that …" I whispered.

"Don't apologize, love," he said, turning around and hugging me tightly. His voice was sad, broken and he clung to me. The power behind his embrace was almost painful, but he needed this. We both needed this. We were both broken and this was one step for us to finally heal, to move forward as a couple. He looked at me, tracing my features. "Don't ever apologize. This was not your fault."

"It wasn't yours either," I said, wiping his tears away. He took my hand, kissing my palm. "I love you, Edward. All of you, scars, freckles and imperfections."

"I have a lot of those," he quipped sadly. I traced the scar just below his collarbone. He ran his fingers along my cheek. "I miss you, my love. _Mia dolce_." I blinked up at him, staring into his eyes and seeing fire simmer behind them and the pleading in his voice.

"I do not want to hurt you," I said, my fingers dancing along his ribcage over his own ink. After seeing Alec's work on his calf, Edward went back the following day and got his Cullen Consortium tattoo, with water color aspects in the shape of the Italian flag over the top. It was beautiful, unique and wholly Edward. "Your injuries …"

"I'm healed," he said, his fingers dancing underneath my t-shirt. He kissed my forehead, pulling me closer and massaging his hands on my ass. "I need you, Bella. I want to love you." His lips moved from my forehead and he moaned as my fingers scraped over his nipples. "Let me love you."

"Yes, Edward," I whimpered as his mouth found my neck. "But …"

"No, buts," he growled, backing us up and pushing me toward our bed. "I just want you, writhing from my touch. I want to slide into your pussy, feeling every inch of you clenching around me, hot and wet. I want to taste you." He tore the t-shirt from my body, revealing my naked form. "Fuck, you're gorgeous." He kissed me, his lips crashing against mine. I moaned and thrust my fingers into his hair. His arms banded around me, lifting me onto the bed. I gasped when we fell onto the duvet cover, his hands gliding down my ribcage.

"Are you okay?" I asked. "Your ribs?"

"I'm fine," he said, his eyes sweeping over me, his gaze predatory. He crawled up my body, nipping at my skin. "I've missed this. I've missed you." His fingertips circled my nipples and he grinned crookedly. "Oh, we're going to have fun."

 **EPOV**

Seeing Bella on the duvet cover, completely naked, save for her engagement ring and her new tattoos. My cock strained against my jeans and I wanted to sink deep within her. Only after I'd bring her pleasure, tasted her sweetness … and she truly was sweet. I lay next to her, tracing her pink lips. She whimpered, nibbling on my finger. Her eyes were black fire and she wanted this as much as I needed this. I wanted to bring her pleasure.

After almost three months of sadness, I needed to make her smile. I had to make her come.

I pressed a kiss to her lips, sliding my tongue into her mouth as my hand moved down her body, cupping her pert breasts. She whimpered, trying to move closer to me. I guided my hand down her midline, running my fingers along her hipbones. She was still far too thin. I could count her ribs and her hips jutted out from her pale skin. Regardless, she was beauty and perfection. I wanted to lavish her with affection, love and orgasms.

"Edward," she gasped, her fingers twisting on the duvet cover. I smiled, kissing her neck, moving down body. I wrapped my lips around breast, flicking her nipple. I continued moving down, nipping at her hips. She moaned, her legs clenching together. _Oh, none of that. I'll help you,_ cara. I moved and spread her legs, seeing her swollen, pink and _wet_ pussy. "Please …"

"Don't beg, baby. I'll make you feel so good," I growled. Kissing up her legs, I inhaled deeply. Her arousal was spilling from her and her scent went straight to my dick. _Take your time. Make her feel amazing._ I ran my tongue along her slit and she moaned, her voice guttural and primal. I kissed her sex like I kissed her mouth, deep and open. Bella was whimpering, her body rolling with my tongue, which slid in and out of her body. Her flavor, her movements, her sounds … she was driving me crazy. She chanted my name, tugging on my hair. I kept my mouth on her as she moved closer and closer to her release.

"Yes!" she shrieked as her hips jack knifed off the bed. I kept my mouth on her pussy, feeling the muscles clench against my tongue. She calmed and I sat back, unbuckling my belt and sliding my jeans off my body. Bella was panting heavily. I crawled up her body, naked as she. She blinked up at him, her eyes still fiery and needy. "Edward … I want to give you the same pleasure you gave me."

" _Dolce_ ," I breathed. "I want to be inside you when I come. If you touch me, I'll … I want to make love to you. I want to share your body. Please, _dolce_." She licked her lips, nodding and pulling my face to hers. Her tongue slid between my lips, tasting her essence on my mouth. I groaned, falling into the cradle of her legs. I pulled back, staring at her, her beauty. Grasping my cock, I ran it along her sex. She moaned. I slid the head of my cock just inside her. I looked at her, tears welling in her eyes. I wiped her cheek and pushed fully into her. "I love you, _mia amore._ "

"My Edward," she said, her hands caressing my shoulders. I kissed her, rolling my hips and feeling her body around my cock. She was wet, tight and receptive. There was no space in between our bodies. We were connected as much as a couple could be. I never wanted to be away from her. I never felt as much love for another person as much as I loved my Bella. She hitched her legs over my hips and she whimpered. She stared at me, tears streaming down her cheeks.

This was beyond making love. It was our souls bonding, reconnecting and fortifying our love. We moved as one. We breathed as one. We loved as one. It was Bella's smile, her strength, her love that made my brief captivity bearable. And to think that I could have lost it …

Her hands moved from my shoulders and she wiped my cheeks. "Don't cry, _capo_ ," she whispered.

"I'm happy, _cara_ ," I breathed, pressing my lips to hers and losing myself in her body. I thrust deeper inside her, kissing her lips. Her muscles clenched around me. "Fuck, baby. I can feel you."

"I want you to come for me," she pleaded. "Come inside me, Edward. Make me yours again." I looped one of her legs over my arm and slid further into her. Our movements were unhurried and graceful. With a quiet gasp, Bella toes curled and I felt her body clenching around me. I kissed her, thrusting and lost myself in her. "Edward … please …"

"I'm there, my love," I said, crashing my lips against hers and spilling into her body. She clung to me. We broke apart and both of us had tears in our eyes. She smiled, her eyes glistening and the light returning to her. I ran my fingers down her cheeks and rolled us to the side. I was still within her, not wanting to break our connection. I felt at peace. "Bella …"

"Just hold me," she sniffled, her lower muscles clenching around me. She idly kissed my face, her soft caresses of her lips bringing us ever closer. I did just that, burying my nose into her hair, keeping her tiny body tucked to mine. "I love you, Edward. You are a good man, with a strong heart, and loyalty to his family. It's that strength that makes you a good leader."

"It's you who makes me a good leader," I said, wiping her tears away. "Your strength. Your love. Your _light_." She smiled, pressing a kiss to my jaw. "I will spend my life showing you how much I adore you. And my vow to you is that you never have to go through the rite of vengeance again."

"Just don't get abducted again and we're good," Bella quipped, but there was a sadness behind it.

"I promise," I said, kissing her tenderly. "I promise you, Mrs. Cullen."

"Not Mrs. Cullen," she giggled.

"Not yet, but you are mine, _dolce_ ," I growled and I showed her how much she was mine the rest of the day and well into the night.

 **BPOV**

Christmas passed by in a flurry of celebrations and pre-wedding parties. We were inundated with presents, well-wishes and families vowing their allegiance to the Cullen Consortium. Several men gave me a look of respect, nodding in reverence to what I did to save Edward, save _our_ family. Edward stood proud, wearing a smug grin and held me in his arms at each party, his hands never leaving my body. He was protective of me, but proud of the subtle fear in their eyes.

They knew what I was capable of and Edward made everyone aware of it with his possessive stance and knowing smiles.

There were a few older members of the family who were upset that Edward had been elevated to the role of the head of the family, as the _capo_ , without being married and I overheard some unsavory comments about me in Italian from members of the family from Italy. I was called whore and gold-digger, but Edward's eyes flashed angrily. He spat at his distant cousins, saying that I was his savior and that if they continued with their underhanded comments, they wouldn't need their return tickets back to Italy.

That shut them up relatively quickly, making their faces blanch at the implications.

We had our rehearsal, which was pretty much unneeded since we'd already gone through this five months ago. I stood in front of pastor, holding Edward's hands and I wanted to be able to say my vows. From the swirling within Edward's eyes, behind his chic glasses, he felt the same way. After the rehearsal, we went to a casual Italian restaurant, owned by one of Edward's cousins. We rented out the whole restaurant and celebrated our upcoming nuptials. We ate too much food, and drank too much alcohol. Jasper drove us back to the condo. Esme did complain about us staying together, but Carlisle spoke to her about our fears and she relaxed.

Once upstairs, Edward carried me into our condo and we made love well into the night. After reconnecting that night when Edward showed me his scar, we'd been pretty insatiable, unable to keep our hands off each other. We tried to be chaste leading up to the wedding, but we lasted a weekend before we went to town on the kitchen island, Edward devouring my pussy for breakfast.

The next morning, Edward woke up, caressing my cheek. I smiled at him. He was dressed, wearing a pair of jeans and sweater. "Come back to bed, _capo_ ," I whispered.

"We got our night together, but I've been booted," he snickered. "Mom, Alice, Sue, Leah and Lauren are coming in an hour. I've set an alarm for you, _dolce._ You may want to get dressed." His hand slid underneath the blankets, running his fingers through my folds. "Are you ever _not_ wet?"

"Only for you," I giggled, holding his hand there. He kissed me as he circled my clit with his fingers until I came. "Fuck …"

"Not tonight, Mrs. Cullen," he said, licking his fingers and groaning. "I'm going to make love to my wife." He kissed me again, his mouth lingering over mine. "I love you, _mia amore._ "

"I love you more, _capo_ ," I breathed. "See you at the church. I'll be the one in white."

"And I'll be waiting for you with baited breath. No more delays," he whispered. He kissed me again and left me in our bed, warm, safe and happy, but there was an underlying fear that he was going to be hurt. However, I heard Jasper's voice in the hallway and I breathed easier.

I drifted back asleep and jumped awake when the alarm went off on the nightstand. I turned it off, stretching my body. I went to the bathroom, showering and brushing my teeth. Putting on Edward's robe, I padded to the kitchen. Esme was already there, making breakfast. The living room had been completely transformed into a salon. Sue was sitting next to Leah as she got her hair curled. Lauren was sitting next to her, getting her makeup applied. Alice was nibbling on some breakfast, her fingers splayed out. I giggled. "Get a manicure, Ali?"

"Yeah," she said. "Gia said they're good to go, but they still look wet!"

"It's a gel manicure, Alice. Once you put your hands in the UV box, your nails are done," laughed the manicurist. "Miss Bella, do you want your nails done now?"

"I need coffee first and some of what Esme is cooking," I said, sitting down at the counter. Esme turned, putting a plate in front of me, filled with blueberry pancakes, eggs, bacon and a large cup of coffee. I devoured my breakfast and hummed happily. "I need the recipe for the pancakes, Esme. They are delicious."

"They're Edward's favorite," Esme smiled. "I'll gladly give you the recipe. Now, are you okay? Ready for this?"

"I was ready five months ago," I sighed, sipping my coffee. Esme walked over to me, hugging me and she brushed my hair back. I shivered, the unpleasant ache of fear taking hold in my belly. I clung to the coffee mug and the world seemed to drift away, the quartz countertops swirled and I felt myself being moved.

Alice crouched in front of me, her face determined, wiping my cheeks. She took something and thrust it to my ear. "Talk, Edward," she said.

"Bella, baby, listen to my voice," he said.

"Need you," I choked out. "Where are you?"

"Bella, pull the phone away," he whispered. Alice moved the phone and I saw Edward on the screen of her iPhone. "I'm here, baby. I'm never going away." His eyes were wide and his cheeks were covered with tears. "Deep breaths, _dolce_." I watched him, breathing with him and calming down. Leah sat next to me, threading her fingers with mine. I blinked over to her. She wiped my cheeks. "Leah, can you hear me, sweetie?"

"Yes, Ed," she said, her voice sweet. "Hi, Ed!"

He chuckled, waving at her. I just clung to the phone. "Stay by my Bella. She loves you and she needs your love today. Keep her happy and safe for me until I get to be her husband. Can you do that for me, Leah?"

"Yeah, yeah," Leah nodded, hugging me. She put her head on my shoulder and squeezed my fingers.

"Bella, my beloved, look at me," he whispered. I blinked back to the iPhone. "I wish I could be there with you. I'm jumpy without you by my side, but soon we will be married. Look at your left hand, Bella." I did, seeing the beautiful engagement ring on my finger. "My ring, the ring I had designed for you will be on it soon, claiming you as my wife. _Mia dolce, mia cara, mia amore._ "

"I can't wait," I croaked out. "I …"

"I know, my love," he smiled, pressing a kiss to his hand. "Let them spoil you. Let _me_ spoil you. I'll see you in a few hours. I'll be in the monkey suit."

I laughed, wiping my nose. "Never, _capo_. You're far too handsome."

"Meh," he shrugged. "Love you, _mia Bella._ "

"Love you more," I said, ending the call. I sat back and Leah still held my hand. "Thank you, Leah. You're so awesome."

"I know," she giggled, leaning her cheek against my shoulder.

"Humble, too," Sue laughed.

"Bella, do you want an anxiety pill?" Alice asked. I shook my head. "You sure? It's been a while since you've had a panic attack like that."

"Just a few nasty reminders about what could have happened," I said, tightening my hand around Leah's. "I'm sorry. This is a happy day and …"

"You're entitled to have some butterflies," Esme nodded.

"Butterflies, yes. But, not being able to breathe?" I sighed. "I'm just grateful my breakfast didn't make a reappearance." Everyone moved away and I just sat on the couch with Leah. She snuggled close to me and I kissed her forehead. "Thank you, Leah."

"Love my family," she said, hugging me. "Be happy, Bella."

"I will, Leah," I answered, squeezing her hand. We sat there for a few more moments, but I was called to get my hair done. Leah stuck with me like glue, prattling on about what she got for Christmas, her new house with 'Jay' and Mom and her new room. Listening to her talk calmed me and I was able to finally allow my heart to stop stammering. Sue eventually called Leah away and my makeup was applied along with a manicure on my fingers. When I was done, the photographer arrived as did Uncle Jimmy and Jacob. The latter held a bag, smiling warmly at me. "Is that for me?" I asked, pointing to the bag.

"The Boss wanted me to hand deliver it, Bella," he chuckled.

I got up and took the bag. Reaching inside, I felt the card first. Taking the bag, I ducked into the bedroom to open the present alone, not wanting an audience. I put the bag on the bed, opening the card first. It was a plain card, but with heavy cardstock and golden embossed initials swirling in the center. I ran my fingers over the embossed lettering, smiling tenderly and flipping it open.

 _To my beloved, on our wedding day,_

 _This was a long time coming, Bella. I'm sorry about the delay, but I will always make that up to you. I will show you, every day, how much I love you. My forever and happily ever after began the moment I met you. You brought me happiness, joy and light in my dark, ugly world. You are smart, loving, caring and so very beautiful._

 _But, that is all icing on the cake,_ mia cara _, you are my best friend and I feel so much more than love for you. You are truly my other half, my soul mate. I look forward to the rest of our lives, spending the rest of my days with you, Bella. I can't wait to see your belly swollen with our children. I can't wait to grow old with you, sharing our lives together._

 _To my beloved, on your wedding day …_

 _Today is the first day of forever. We are getting our happily ever after._

 _Are you ready?_

 _All my love,_

 _Mobward_

I giggled, reading his signature. "Oh, Edward," I snickered. I hugged the card to my chest before reaching into the bag. I pulled out a wooden box. I opened it, my eyes bugging out when I saw the contents of the box. "Holy shit!" Esme came in, dressed elegantly in a golden dress. "Esme … look!"

She came in, sitting down and gasped quietly. "Oh, my. Edward … my son does have exquisite taste," she breathed.

"Are they real?" I hissed, staring at the diamond and ruby jewelry. "I can't … I can't accept this."

"If I know my son, they're real and he would want you to have it, Bella," Esme smiled, caressing my cheek. "He loves you so much, my dear." She moved closer, taking the necklace out of the box. She fastened it around my neck and did the same with the bracelet. She kissed my forehead and grinned softly. "You just need to get dressed and you're almost ready."

"I'm beyond ready," I breathed. I hugged her and got up, putting on the earrings and ring. When I was done, I slipped into the bathroom, putting on my lacy panties, white thigh-highs and red, gold and white garter belt. Tugging on a white satin robe, I went out to the living room. My dress, in its finery and beauty was hanging on part of the window. The sun made its crystals twinkle. The photographer took pictures as I got dressed, laced into my gorgeous gown. I slid on the golden shoes that matched the jewelry I'd given my bridesmaids and my veil was put into my curled hair, along with the comb that Jimmy had saved for me. A large bouquet was pressed into my hand.

"Okay, something new is your dress. Old is your jewelry," Alice said. "Borrowed?"

"Lace handkerchief from my wedding dress," Esme said, handing me the swatch of lace. "What about blue?"

"My tattoo," I said, arching a brow. "I'm not showing that to you, but my swan tattoo has a lot of blue in it."

"Perfect!" Lauren sang. "Girl, you look beautiful. I do love the dress I designed for you." She reached into a bag, pulling out a bundle of fur. "It's freezing out there." She helped me put on the fur shrug, buttoning it together with a ruby and diamond brooch. She also handed matching fur shrugs to my bridesmaids. Sue fluffed my dress as we stood by the window, getting our pictures taken by the photographer. After pictures, we got into the pure white limousine, that was driven by Felix. I had no doubt that it was probably bullet-proof, bomb-proof.

We arrived at the church, taking pictures and smiling, waiting impatiently for the ceremony to begin. I could hear the crowd, the friends and family. I paced the length of the bride's room. I was anxious to see my husband. "Baby girl, you're going to pace a groove into the floor," Uncle Jimmy said, laughing quietly. He looked handsome, wearing his tuxedo and neatly cut hair. "Come with me."

"We can't," I whispered.

"We're not going into the church, but to another room. I want to talk to my niece," he said, guiding me into a smaller room, what appeared to be an office. "Alice said you had a panic attack this morning?"

I nodded. "I'm okay, though," I said. "Edward, Alice and Leah helped me."

"Leah is a sweet girl, stronger than I ever imagined," Uncle Jimmy smiled. "Reminds me a lot of a certain woman who's getting married today. When you both love, you love whole-heartedly." He sat down, grimacing. "I'm better. I don't need that damned cane, but with the cold, my leg hurts." I sat down next to him. He took my hand and rubbed his thumb over my knuckles. "I'm so proud of you, baby girl. You are so …" He smiled, his eyes watery. "I wish Charlie could be here to see you, Bells."

"I miss him," I sighed. "Do you think he would have approved of Edward? I mean, with his …?"

"I definitely think he would have approved of Edward. Despite his _vocation_ , Edward is a good man, loyal, loving and he'd do anything for you," Uncle Jimmy said. "I know that everything has been harrowing this year, but I can see how much you adore Edward. I love him and I'm happy that you are … that you're getting your dream." He kissed my cheeks, wiping an errant tear away. "Now, we've got a long walk down the aisle. Are you ready?"

There was a quiet knock at the door and Alice poked her head inside. "The wedding planner is waiting for the bride. You guys ready?"

"More than ready," I said, standing up and gripping my bouquet. Alice beamed. Jimmy offered me his arm and we made our way to the atrium. Leah walked down the aisle first, on the arm of her brother, who was an usher, but walked her down the aisle while Anthony stood up for Edward, followed by Lauren who was on the arm of Jasper. Alice went last, walking down the aisle with Edward's brother, Emmett. They all looked so handsome, wearing sleek black tuxedos and red vests and ties. The doors closed and I stood next to my uncle, gripping his arm tightly. The wedding planner fluffed my dress and smiled at me. When the music changed, the two doors opened and the packed church stood up. I focused my attention to the floor. Heaven forbid I have a clumsy moment and face-plant in front of my future-husband.

As we got to the front, I blinked up and saw Edward. He was beautiful, wearing a perfectly cut tuxedo with a white vest and white tie. He had on red boutonniere with gold accents and baby's breath. His eyes were glimmering underneath his glasses and he smiled crookedly, his fingers itching to reach out to me. Jimmy kissed my cheek and gently placed my hand into Edward's waiting palm. I walked up to him, handing my bouquet to Alice and taking both of his hands.

To be honest, I don't remember what the priest said. His voice sounded like the teacher from _The Peanuts_ cartoons. I remembered saying my vows and Edward repeating them to me, his eyes glistening. We exchanged rings and I ran my finger over Edward's platinum band, grinning widely knowing that we were finally married.

"By the powers vested in me, I now pronounce this man and this woman as husband and wife," said the priest. "You may now kiss the bride!"

Edward took my face, grinning crookedly. "Mrs. Cullen," he breathed before brushing his lips over mine. "My wife. We're married, _dolce_."

"Finally," I smiled, kissing him again. He slid his arms around my waist, lifting me up and kissing me, his tongue sliding into my mouth as our guests applauded. I giggled, blushing and looking out. "We probably shouldn't continue. That was not 'church tongue.'"

He rolled his eyes, putting me back onto the ground as the priest introduced us as Mr. and Mrs. Edward and Isabella Cullen. We walked down the aisle, grinning giddily as we made our way toward the exit. Pictures were taken and Edward held me close as snowflakes fell down, making the day seem even more magical, more perfect than it already was.

 **EPOV**

After the ceremony, we spent a few hours taking photos at the church and then we moved to Millennium Park, taking photos in the snow. I should have been freezing cold, but I was so happy, too overjoyed that Bella was finally my wife. I called her Mrs. Cullen often. When Alice complained about not being able to feel her face, we got into the waiting trolley, driving to Navy Pier. We took photos inside the Crystal Garden before heading to a hospitality suite as a bridal party.

In the hospitality suite, the bridal party enjoyed treats, sweets and alcohol. The photographer took Bella and I out to Navy Pier, taking photos on the Ferris Wheel, overlooking the lake and inside the pier. When Bella began to shiver, we went to the hospitality suite and we shared a cup of coffee. "I don't want my new wife to get sick again."

"That would suck if I got pneumonia, again, while on our honeymoon," Bella quipped, snuggling closer to my body. "Where are we going? I never found out …"

"I'm still not telling you, _dolce_ ," I chuckled. "But, we are going to be gone for a long time. Being a wealthy man, the _capo_ of the Cullen Consortium, I'm able to spoil my friends, my family and my beloved wife. Make up for lost time, Bella."

"Edward, you don't have to do anything. I know you're anxious to go back to work," Bella frowned.

"I'm anxious to start living my life with my wife," I said, caressing my fingers over the necklace nestled over her collarbones. "We had to put our lives on hold, _cara_ , because of what happened. We're in a place where we can spread our wings a little bit. Jasper is comfortable with the inner dealings of the family while Emmett is running the company. Upon our return from our honeymoon, which is _open-ended_ , I'll go back to work as the CEO and as the _capo_."

"Okay," Bella smiled, picking up my hand and kissing my wedding ring. "Okay." She looked at me, her espresso-colored eyes twinkling. "I love you, _capo_."

"Hmmm, love is too small a word, Bella," I said, pressing my forehead to hers. "Too small."

We sat in our little bubble until the wedding planner and Deanna said that the Crystal Ballroom was ready. We went to the ballroom, seeing it decorated with our red and golden décor, along with Christmas trees and foliage. More pictures were taken and our guests made their way inside. Bella and I stood in the receiving line, hugging and kissing everyone who'd made it to our rescheduled wedding. With each person, Bella was handed an envelope. She took them with a smile, but her eyes were swirling with confusion. During a break from family, I slid my arm around her waist. "What is it, _dolce?_ "

"I understand wedding cards, but from everyone?" she whispered. "On top of the mountains of wedding gifts?"

"It's an Italian tradition," I chuckled. "When Emmett got married, he and Rosalie got almost thirty grand from these envelopes."

"What?" Bella squeaked.

"They put the money into a college fund for their future children," I shrugged. "Obviously, they didn't have children."

"What happened to the money?" she asked.

"As far as I know, I think Emmett had the money transferred to Rosalie in Italy to help with her recovery," I answered. I sighed, remembering the email I received from Marcus. He told me what he'd told my family and he yielded all of his control of his illicit affairs to me, to the Cullen Consortium. Marcus washed his hands of this life, preparing to live the remainder of his life in solitude and quiet in the vineyards of Italy. I kissed her neck as my cousins from Boca Raton came over to us, with hugs, kisses and yet another envelope.

An hour later, our guests were seated and we were all waiting outside of the Crystal Ballroom, waiting to be introduced. Leah had warmed up to Anthony and was able to enter with him. Music was pumping in the hall and we danced our way inside. I spun Bella, dipping her and kissing her lips before helping her into our seats at the head table. Dinner was delicious with perfectly paired wines and cocktails. Forks and utensils hit the edges of glasses and it gave me the opportunity to kiss my wife as often as possible.

Emmett gave his best man speech, embarrassing the hell out of me, but shared his love for both me and Bella. Alice stood up to give her speech and she was far more sentimental. Her respect for Bella was apparent as well as her love for her as a sister and dear, dear friend. What shocked us all was when my father stood up, taking the microphone from Alice. "I know that normally the father of the groom doesn't speak at these things, but I wanted to take a few moments to extend my congratulations to my oldest son and his beautiful bride, my new daughter." He walked over to the head table, taking Bella's hand. "Isabella Cullen is a strong, loving and amazing woman. She centers my son and I can see a true love match between the two of them. I'm blessed to have such a wonderful person by Edward's side and I pray that they truly have a happy life, forever and always. To Isabella and Edward." He held up his glass and everyone followed. "To love, to life and to family."

"To love," I whispered, kissing my wife. She smiled against my lips, tears streaking down her cheeks. I wiped her cheeks and held her close.

We finished our meal, cut the cake, minus the clichéd smashing of cake into our faces. I tenderly fed Bella and she looked at me hungrily, wishing like I was the cake and that she wanted to devour me. My dick twitched underneath the gabardine wool of my tuxedo. The DJ called us to the dance floor for our first dance as husband and wife. The distinct jazzy chords of Frank Sinatra's 'The Best is Yet to Come' came filtering over the speakers. Bella smiled and I began leading her around the dance floor. We swayed, not really doing much of dancing, but moving and having fun. Bella was not a dancer, by any stretch of the imagination. Holding her in my arms, swaying and kissing while pictures were taken, was nothing short of perfection.

After Bella danced with Jimmy and I danced with my mom, the dance floor opened up. The requisite dances commenced, from cheesy line dances, to slow romantic couple's dances, to everything in between. It was fun and I can't remember the last time I'd laughed or felt so happy.

"Alright folks, it's nearly that time," the DJ announced. "Champagne is being passed around and head out to the balcony for the count down. Let's bring in the new year and celebrate the marriage of Edward and Isabella Cullen!"

I helped Bella into her fur shrug as the temperatures had fallen. The music was pumping and we listened as the DJ counted down from thirty, closing out 2017 and ringing in 2018 with a bang! At the ten-point mark, everyone began to count down and at one, I pulled Bella into my arms, kissing her tenderly. "Happy New Year, Mrs. Cullen," I purred. "A new year, a new start and only happiness in our future, _cara._ "

"I love you, _capo_ ," Bella breathed, snuggling in my arms. "But, as fun as this was, I want to make love to my hubby."

"Agreed," I growled, nibbling behind her ear. Speaking briefly with Jasper, he called Felix and he pulled the limo around. With hugs and kisses to my parents and Uncle Jimmy, Bella and I left, heading to the hotel. Felix had checked in for us, making sure that the room was secure and he stayed in the hotel. Jacob was also staying there, in an adjacent room with Felix.

"Boss, here's your key," said Felix. "Congratulations, to both of you."

He nodded and smiled warmly. I tucked the key into my pocket, shaking his hand and he pulled away. I threaded my finger with my wife and led her to the bank of elevators. Pressing the call button, I caged my wife. She blushed, biting her lip and idly toying with my lapels of my jacket. The door opened and Bella slid inside. Once the door closed, I punched the button for the top floor, crashing my lips to hers. She melted against me, clinging to my suit coat. We languidly kissed until the elevator opened. I swept her into my arms, carrying her to the suite.

Once inside, we slowly removed our clothing. When we were completely bare, save for our wedding rings, we came together, making love as a married couple. It was so much more, feeling her and loving her and knowing that we were forever bound. She was my love, _mia cara,_ and _mia dolce_. With a gasp, she climaxed, her fingers digging into my shoulders. I still thrust into her, filling her with my own release. Soft kisses, languid caresses and quiet sighs, we cuddled together. Bella pressed her head to my chest, idly tracing circles on my belly. She giggled quietly.

"Way to belittle my masculinity, Bella," I snorted. "We make love and you laugh at me?"

"I'm not laughing at you," she said, kissing my jaw and brushing my messy hair back. She sat up, her naked body enticing me and I needed her again. She poured some champagne and handed me a glass. "I'm laughing because I'm 'officially' married to the mob." She sipped her own glass, a coy smile playing on her perfect features. "And I'm proud to be your wife. I love you, Mobward."

I rolled my eyes. I preferred her calling me _capo_ to 'Mobward.' "Don't call me that," I grumbled. "I got shot and I'm covered in scars. I deserve a better nickname, _cara_."

She sipped her champagne, putting it onto the nightstand and straddling my hips. She giggled again, her smile perfect. "Nope, you'll always be Mobward. _My_ Mobward," she purred, rolling her body over mine. Despite our recent love making, feeling her wet pussy rubbing over me, awakened my cock. She leaned forward, her lips barely caressing mine. "You married me, Edward. Deal with my silly nickname."

I twisted us and kissed her lips harshly, tasting her sweetness. "I'll show you how I'll deal with my silly nickname," I growled, sinking deep within her.

"Mobward …" she breathed.

"And don't you forget it, _dolce,_ " I purred.

 **A/N: And that's all she wrote. They're married and they got their happily ever after. We're going to have an epilogue and then the sequel will probably begin in the summer. Leave me some loving! :-)**

 **Pictures of their wedding, Bella's dress and the jewelry are on my blog. You can find a link for that on my profile. You can also find me on Facebook: Tufano79's Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation. Twitter, too: tufano79. Thank you for reading!**


	30. Epilogue

**So, none of this is mine. I wrote the first chapter for a contest and now, I'm expanding it. What I own … a condo and too many books. What I don't … _Twilight_ and all its characters.**

 **And that's all she wrote. They're married and they got their happily ever after. We're going to have an epilogue and then the sequel will probably begin in the summer. A few words of appreciation before we get to the final chapter of _Married to the Mob_ … first off, thank you to Christina Downs for betaing my submission for "We 3 Mobward" contest. She polished my words, making them shine. **

**Chapter Thirty: Epilogue**

 **EPOV**

"I'm surprised you chose a beach locale for our honeymoon," Bella said as she lay on the teak chaise lounge. Her eyes were covered by large sunglasses. "With your injuries, I'd figure you want to stay out of the sun."

"I am out of the sun," I said, from my spot underneath a palm umbrella. I also had on a t-shirt, hiding my scarred back. I knew I was destined to have a 'farmer's tan' for the rest of my life, or until I could be more comfortable in my own skin. I was fine with Bella seeing me. She loved me, accepted me for who I was and never judged me. Granted, she still felt like my scar was a cruel reminder of my ordeal. She would look at it, with anger in her eyes, but she'd calm down when I reminded her that I was okay, alive and so very much in love with her.

"Well, regardless, I'm happy we're here. When I looked at the weather in Chicago, I saw that it was a whopping two degrees as the high," Bella giggled, looking at me. "I took a picture of our villa and sent it to our family."

"What did they have to say?" I snickered, closing my book and quirking my lips into a crooked grin.

"I got a lot of texts of middle fingers and fuck you's," Bella answered, picking up her magazine and flipping through it. We'd been on Turtle Island in Fiji for almost two weeks. The first couple of days, we made love and recuperated from the nearly twenty-four-hour flight. We were staying on the island for a month, staying in a secluded villa. We only interacted with the employees when we decided to go to the main resort for a meal or for any of the planned activities, like zip-lining, horse-back riding or scuba diving.

"You're poking the bear, Bella," I laughed, getting up and slipping my legs into the warm water of our private pool. "Emmett hates the cold. He'd rather eat himself out of house and home and hibernate during the winter."

"What about you?" she asked, sliding into the water, swimming between my legs. I eased into the water, holding her in my arms. "Hmmmmm?"

"I'm like Emmett. I'm not a fan of the cold, but I don't want to hibernate. Instead, I find ways to keep my mind occupied. Have you ever skied?" I asked.

"Edward, I can barely walk on flat surface. You think strapping some wood on my feet and sending me down a mountain would be wise?" she giggled. "I'd probably break my neck."

"I think you'd like it," I said, untying her bikini top.

"What are you doing?" she asked, arching a brow.

"Heaven forbid you get tan lines, baby," I said, removing her bikini. I ran my fingers along her spine and moved my hands to her breasts.

"You just wanted to see my tits," she smiled. "But, my cooter is sore. Too much love-making."

"I'm sore, too. I'm old," I laughed. "But, that doesn't mean that I can't enjoy the view."

"Perv," she said, turning around and leaning against me, her legs floating up and her nearly naked body glistening in the warm water and the sun. "But, you're my perv."

"Damn straight," I said, cupping her breasts.

We stayed in the water for a few more minutes and Bella got out of the water. She removed her bikini bottoms, laying down on the chaise, completely naked. "Tan lines … dreadful things."

"Minx," I snorted.

After a day in our private villa, we went to the main resort and spent time with a few of the other newlywed couples. Bella was a beacon of light, making friends and laughing with our fellow honeymooners. We'd become pretty close with a couple from South Africa. Bella just listened, entranced by their accents. The woman, Tia, was a nurse and her husband, Benjamin, worked in the import/export business. From the look on his expression, his import/export business was not necessarily legal. When the two of them left to get something from the bar, Benjamin leaned closer to me. "You have the same look in your eyes, Edward," Benjamin smirked.

"A look of love?" I asked, sipping my beer.

"Well, that too. Your wife is a beautiful woman. You are very lucky, sir," Benjamin laughed. He gestured to my signet ring. "I know of your family."

I quirked a brow. "Benjamin, I'm on my honeymoon," I said sternly.

"As am I, my friend," Benjamin said. "But, I'm not about to let an opportunity like this slip through my fingers." He took out a cigarette, lighting it and offered it to me. I shook my head, waving him off. "I know you know that I'm dealing in other things besides import/export. I'm looking to expand to the states." I arched a brow. "Look, I know I won't be able to get you to discuss things here."

"No," I chuckled. "I tend to avoid mixing business with pleasure. I almost lost my wife because of that."

Benjamin took a deep inhale of his cigarette. "She knows?"

"Yes, she knows," I nodded. "She's entrenched in my world, but it's not by choice. I would like to explore the possibility of a venture, but I have to complete my due diligence. I don't go blindly into a business venture without doing my research. If you have a card? Information? I could pass along your information and once I return from my honeymoon, if you've passed inspection, I'll be in touch with you."

"And if not?" Benjamin asked.

"I'd hate to make Tia a widow at such a young age," I said, finishing my beer, not joking in the least. Benjamin's eyes widened almost comically. "You know the dangers of the world and I'd hate to do that, but if necessary, I will. I like you, man. Bella likes you and she's a pretty good judge of character, but I don't know you."

"You really are a hard-ass," Benjamin chuckled nervously. I nodded. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a card. He jotted something down on the back. "This is my business website, but on the back, on the dark web, is my other site. Check it out and let me know if you're interested."

"There are a few things I do not deal in … drugs and people," I said, my voice quiet, looking around the darkened bar.

"Fuck that with people," Benjamin growled. "My little sister was … yeah, she was fucked up. I work in tech, weaponry, computers."

"And you post that shit on the dark web?" I asked. Benjamin nodded. "Huh …" I looked at the card and sighed. "Let me pass this along to my associates. I'm recovering from an injury and we're taking a longer honeymoon than most. I'll be in touch, probably by early spring."

Tia and Bella came back, carrying beer bottles and giggling like school girls. It ended my conversation with Benjamin and I pulled my wife into my lap. She smiled, kissing me, tasting like beer and whatever shot she did with Tia. I held her tightly and we stayed with Tia and Benjamin for another hour or so, making plans to go horseback riding the following day, if our wives weren't too hungover.

We spent the rest of Tia and Benjamin's honeymoon with them and Benjamin did seem to be an okay guy. I'd sent a picture of his card to Jasper and preliminary reports indicated he was on the up and up. When they left, Tia and Bella exchanged email addresses and I said I'd be in touch with Benjamin upon my return from our trip. After they left, Bella and I holed ourselves up back in our villa and made love, consummating our marriage on every flat surface of the villa.

The morning we left Turtle Island, it was dreary and rainy. Bella pouted. "I don't want to go."

"We'll come back, _dolce_ ," I said, kissing her neck. "Besides, I want to take you to Europe, to Italy."

"Will I get to hear you speak Italian?" she asked, her eyes brightening.

"Among other languages," I said, kissing her knuckles.

"What can't you do?" she laughed as we got onto the small plane, flying us from Turtle Island to Nadi International Airport. From there, we'd be flying to Hong Kong and then to Switzerland for a week in the Alps. I was determined to get her on a set of skis. "Seriously, Edward. You're brilliant and multi-lingual?"

"Obviously, I can speak English, and Italian. I also can speak French, a bit of Russian and fake my way with Spanish," I chuckled. Bella harrumphed, wrinkling her nose. "What's this? Why are you grumbling?"

"To quote Corbin Dallas from _The Fifth Element_ , 'I speak two languages: English and bad English.' I want to learn how to speak a foreign language," she pouted. "Like you, I could fake my way with Spanish. I could prattle on with the dishwashers at The Swan Dive, but was it grammatically correct? No."

"You can do anything, Bella," I said, kissing her forehead. "Absolutely anything."

 **BPOV**

I wrinkled my nose, my foot elevated with piles of pillows and an ice pack on my right knee. We'd been in the Alps for a couple of days. The first day, we'd slept and the second day, we made love in our bedroom, overlooking the Matterhorn. It was gorgeous, in its stark, icy, ragged beauty, until you were tumbling down that mountain. _As, I predicted._ "I told you, Edward. Be grateful it was only a sprain," I said, waving my finger at him.

"I get it, love," he laughed, sitting down on the cocktail table in our Swiss chalet. "Here, take your pain pill. I'm sorry about forcing you onto skis."

"I told you," I sang, sipping the water and taking the Vicodin prescribed by the physician from the chalet. "I'm a klutz, Edward. You've known me for how long?"

"I'll give you props for going down spectacularly," he snickered. "I never knew you were so bendy."

"I'm not," I deadpanned, pointing to my sprained knee. He looked at me sheepishly, making a face. I poked his belly, smirking and giggling. "But, now, you're my indentured servant. Slave, do this. Slave, do that! Slave, bring me food. Slave, rub my feet. Slave, eat my pussy."

"The doctor said no strenuous activity, _cara_. I think that includes sex," he snorted. I crossed my arms, pouting petulantly. "At least we have a gorgeous view …" He pointed to the absolutely picturesque landscape of the Swiss Alps. It was freezing cold, the complete opposite of Turtle Island. It was striking, but I would have preferred the warmth of the south Pacific to the frigid cold temperatures of the Swiss Alps.

"It is pretty. It would be prettier if my slave was naked," I quipped.

"Ha, ha, Bella," he said, covering me with a blanket. "You comfortable?" I pouted and nodded. He kissed my temple and got up, turning on some quiet music and lighting a fire in the fireplace. I knew I'd be out, thanks to the medication, in a few moments. Edward sat behind me, putting a pillow on his lap. I snuggled and put my head on the pillow. "You okay?"

"This can't be comfortable for you," I said, blinking up at him. His face was tanned from our time in Fiji, making his emerald eyes pop. His bronze hair had blonde mixed in with it and he looked so much younger, a lot more relaxed. "You're so pretty, Edward."

"Men are not pretty, _dolce_ ," he chuckled, caressing his fingers down my cheek.

"You are, Mobward. I have declared it," I giggled, feeling the effects of the Vicodin.

"Okay, love," he said, his hands threading with mine.

"You don't believe me?" I asked.

"You're drugged, Bella. I'm okay-looking. You, _mia cara_ , are the beauty of this outfit," he said, kissing my forehead. "Close your eyes, love. Please, try to rest."

I sighed, cuddling closer to Edward. He idly played with my hair, humming quietly along with the music as he read his book. I eventually drifted asleep and when I woke up, I was in our bed in the chalet, looking at the eerily lit Matterhorn. It was a full moon, making the snow on the mountain appear iridescent. Edward was next to me, snoring quietly. I sat up, needing to pee. I looked around for my crutches, but didn't see them. With a groan, I swung my legs off the bed and hobbled toward the bathroom. My knee was throbbing something awful. I stumbled and Edward shot up. "Bella?"

"Over here," I said, grasping the dresser, trying to balance on my good leg.

"Bella," he chided, getting up and lifting me easily. "Why didn't you wake me?"

"You were so cute, snoring and drooling," I said, grimacing as he sat me down on the counter. My leg was throbbing. "I think I need another pain pill and more ice. After I pee. I think I can handle it from here. Down, please?" He picked me up and I waited until he was out of the bathroom before I shimmied off my panties. I peed and sighed because my bladder was about to explode. When I was done, I tugged up my panties and used the counter to move so I could wash my hands. Edward came back, standing behind me and helped me with my hands. "My leg is what's injured. Not my fingers."

"I know," he said, kissing my neck. "I just wanted to help you." He kissed me again, carefully picking me up and putting me in the bed. "You need to eat since you slept through dinner, _dolce_. We've got meat, cheese and some olives."

"I'd really love some chocolate," I said. "God, Swiss chocolate is to _die_ for."

"You'll get some chocolate when you finish your dinner, Isabella," Edward teased, picking up a piece of cheese. He fed it to me, with a wicked glint in his eyes. We shared my snack and he gave me a half a pill with some chocolate and a bottle of water. "I was thinking …"

"That's dangerous," I teased.

"Hush," he snorted. "With your injury and being laid up, I think we should go to Italy sooner rather than later."

"When were we going to Italy?"

"In about a month," he answered. "We were going to spend a week here in Switzerland, then go to France for a couple of weeks, check out Madrid and then go to Italy."

"We can't do that now?" I frowned.

"We can, but with the crutches and your gimpiness, you'd be miserable. I'm not about to carry you all over Europe, _dolce_ ," he said. "I love you, but my decrepit body can't take it, even if you are tiny."

"Shut up. You're not decrepit," I chided, swatting at his arm.

"Well, despite my best efforts to say that skiing is fun, my own body is craving some Vicodin," he laughed. "It's beautiful up here and spending the few days with you has been amazing, but I want to show you where my family's from."

"I still think it's funny that a guy with the last name of 'Cullen' is Italian," I said.

"We Americanized it when we came from Italy. I'm proud of my Italian heritage," he murmured. "So, are you okay with the change in plans?"

"I am, _capo_ ," I whispered. "But, promise me that we'll do everything you listed before we die."

"I will, Bella," he smiled, hugging me close and kissing my forehead. I fell back asleep and woke up early. I heard Edward speaking on the phone. He was speaking in Italian and I knew he was making arrangements for our trip to Italy. I got up, swiping my crutches and hobbling to the bathroom. I took a quick shower, grimacing at the ugly colors on my knee, along with the swelling. I wrapped a towel around my body. Edward came in, arching a brow. "You need to stop moving around without your crutches, _dolce_."

"I couldn't exactly bring them into the shower, Edward," I giggled, sitting down on the closed toilet. "But, I forgot to grab clothes."

Edward nodded to the counter. I saw a pair of leggings, a fluffy sweater and some sexy lingerie. "I've arranged for a private flight from here to Parma, Italy. The plane won't arrive until tomorrow, but we're heading to Italy." He sat down on the bathtub opposite from me. He was dressed in a pair of chic jeans and wool sweater, with a button-down underneath. His wedding band glinted in the sunlight. "Our time in Italy is open and we have no plans, _dolce_. I just have one request."

"What, baby?" I asked, pulling the panties from the pile on the counter. I shimmied them up, grimacing as my knee was tweaked. Edward crouched down and helped me with my leggings. When my lower half was dressed, he strapped the knee immobilizer to my leg. He was stalling. "Edward?"

"Sorry, Bella," he said, moving back to the edge of the bathtub. "I am stalling, but it's because I know you'll be pissed." He blew out a breath, picking up my hand and kissing my wedding set. "I want to go visit Marcus Volturi." I blanched, remembering his visit to the Cullen Mansion the day that Edward had been abducted. He'd been apologetic and remorseful, wanting to make amends for what was done to our family. But, he'd still had been a party to our nightmare. "Bella, please, breathe."

"Why?" I choked out, glaring at him.

"It was his help that made us able to be reunited, Bella," he whispered. "His involvement gave you the necessary means to find me and complete your rite of vengeance, as much as I was upset that you had to do that." He crouched in front of me, taking my hands. "As one capo to another, I want to thank him and offer my condolences to his losses." He caressed my cheeks. "You don't have to come."

"No, I want to," I whispered. "I need to thank him, too." I blew out a breath, thinking of Rosalie. "I'm also curious about Rosalie. She was a shell …" I finished getting dressed and Edward helped me to the kitchen. We spent the rest of the day at the chalet and went down to the restaurant for dinner. The next day, we got onto a sleek plane and flew from Switzerland to the airport in Parma. At the airport, Jacob was waiting for us. I elbowed Edward. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine," Edward chuckled. "With your injury and me being in Italy, I made the decision to bring Jacob over. He's going to be our driver." We got into the car and Jacob smiled knowingly as he pulled away, driving to the family home, owned by Edward, Carlisle and the Cullen Consortium.

 **EPOV**

Our time in Italy was idyllic. Bella's knee healed and she was moving around easier. She took to life in Italy beautifully and she was learning how to speak Italian, with the help of caretakers of the family home. I loved being here. I loved being here with Bella. I felt at ease for the first time since my abduction, but I knew that feeling would dissipate when we'd make our way to Sicily to meet with Marcus, Didyme and Rosalie.

We arrived in Italy at the end of February. It was now the end of March and we were preparing to head back to the states by the middle of April. I needed to get back to work, as much as I didn't want to, but I did. I wanted to talk to Anthony, see how he was doing. My father had killed his father and we hadn't talked much since our wedding. He wasn't angry at me, but confused. I wanted to make _our_ relationship right, along with giving the proper respect to Marcus.

Apparently, it was my extension of my condolences for the death of his son that made him realize that I was a man of honor. Not a monster like Royce or Stephan.

It was why he helped us.

At least, that's what I believed.

The last night, prior to our departure to Sicily, I sent the caretakers away and pushed Jacob out of the house, to the guest house near the entrance of the villa. It had been too long since I'd been inside my wife. With her injury, our lovemaking had stalled. Granted, it was understandable, but I missed her. She'd gone to a doctor and he'd cleared her for more strenuous activities. I had every plan of resuming those strenuous activities.

I was cooking in the kitchen, making some favorites when Bella came into the kitchen. She was dressed in a pair of leggings and a loose tunic, draped over her shoulder. "Smells good in here, Mobward," she quipped. I shot her a look and she just giggled, sliding up onto the island. "Is it sad that I don't want to go back to reality?"

"We still have a week, Bella," I said.

"But, there's an end date," she frowned. "We spent a month in paradise, a couple of days in the frozen tundra and then a month or so of perfection here in Italy. Why don't you come here more often?"

"Safety, for one reason. We're a big family and we have our enemies here in Italy," I answered, draining the pasta, putting it into a bowl near the sink. "No one here in Parma. Mainly in Sicily, where we're going to visit Marcus. The families there are not well-organized, but they are dangerous."

"That's why we have Jacob," Bella nodded, a furrow between her brows. "It never ends, does it?"

"It goes in waves, Bella," I answered honestly. "Right now? We're in a time of peace. I'm hopeful it'll stay that way for a while. The Chicago branch of the Bratva is in ruins. From my intel, Royce's men scattered, going to New York, or even back to Russia. I've also heard that Royce was a rogue, not well-liked in the organization. He, supposedly, worked with some questionable characters, like my uncle. We've got to keep an eye on them. That's why I need to see Anthony."

Bella worried her lip, twisting her wedding ring and shifting on the counter. "Are you in danger?"

"No, Bella. We're not in danger," I said, taking her hand. She tugged on my hand and pulled me into her arms. I hugged her, kissing her neck and rubbed my hands along her back. She idly played with my hair, her head resting on my shoulder. "We're not in danger. I'll protect you."

"I know," she said. "It's just … never mind."

"What, _dolce?_ " I pressed.

"It never ends. We'll always have protection. We'll always be a target," she frowned, idly toying with a string on my sweater. I nodded, cupping her cheek and forcing her eyes to mine. I ran my finger down her soft skin, dread pulling at my heart that this beautiful, sweet creature could be hurt or killed. "I'm sorry, Edward … I'm proud to be your wife. I knew this when I went on a date with you, when I said yes to your proposal. I love you and I'll support you, no matter what."

"I meant when I said I'd walk away," I whispered, pressing my forehead to hers.

"Even if you walked away, you'd still be a target," she said, kissing my nose. "I'd rather be prepared and protected then be hidden away." She smiled, a quiet confidence behind it. "I want to live my life, _our_ life." She kissed me, nibbling on my lower lip. "It smells good in here, but I'm not craving food."

"What, _cara_ , are you craving?" I asked, my voice deep and husky.

"To be perfectly honest," she purred, her hands sliding down my chest and slipping them underneath my sweater, "I'm craving you." She pulled up my sweater and I removed it completely. "My, you are so fucking gorgeous, Edward. All strong, muscled and sexy." Her fingers slid along my Cullen tattoo. "You're a bad ass." She arched a brow, tossing her tunic off her body and revealed her naked torso. "You've made love to me all during our honeymoon. I want you to fuck me."

"In the kitchen?" I asked, my hands sliding up her lithe body and cupping her breasts, squeezing them and twisting her nipples. She smirked, nodding slowly as she shimmied her leggings off her body and I growled when I saw her bare pussy. Snaking her hand down her belly, she spread her legs and circled her clit. I moved her hand away, gripping her neck. "Your orgasms are mine, Isabella." I crashed my lips against hers, slamming two fingers into her core. She moaned, spreading her legs further apart, and rocking against my hand. Our mouths moved feverishly against each other as I curled my fingers inside her. "You're so tight, Bella, so wet."

"Make me come," she pleaded, her body rolling with my fingers. "I want to come for you, Edward. Feeling your fingers in my pussy …" I smiled against her mouth, my pinky grazing her ass. She shuddered, her head falling back. Her body glowed under the warm light of the kitchen. Her nipples were hard, diamond points and her pussy was swollen, wet and clenching around my fingers. I wrapped my arm around her waist, sucking on her tits as she rode my hand. "Edward … oh, fuck, Edward! It feels so good, different …"

"Different?" I asked, arching a brow.

"So wet. I've never been this wet before," she whimpered. I continued curling my fingers inside her, finding the spongy part of her body, massaging it. "Oh, yes! Like that, Edward." She groaned, her hips rocking in concert with my ministrations. I kissed her neck, watching my hand disappear inside her and feeling how aroused she was. It poured out of her, coating my hand. She began to whimper, her legs moving to close, but I pried them apart. I could feel her body react around me, almost pushing my fingers out. "EDWARD!" she screamed as my hand was forced out and her release gushed out of her. I ran my fingers over her clit and she sobbed, watching my hand move over her sex.

I caught her before she collapsed on the counter, kissing her soft lips. "That was beautiful," I whispered against her mouth. "Seeing you so free and …"

"I've never done that," she panted, a blush covering her face. "It felt so good, Edward." She sat up, reaching for my belt buckle and made quick work of my jeans and boxer briefs. "I need more."

"Gladly," I said, lining up with her entrance and thrusting up into her. Her fingers clung to my biceps as I fucked her. Her body was still so wet from her earlier orgasm. "Oh, Bella, you're so fucking perfect for me. Never, _never_ have I felt this way about anyone. You're mine."

"Yours," she breathed. "Only yours."

Our bodies came together, with the sound of slapping skin, whispered moans and our kisses. I moved her hips and turned her to side, sliding deeper inside her. She whimpered, her mouth hanging open as pounded into her. "I can feel how wet you are for me." She nodded and her head fell back. I licked my middle finger, circling her rosette. She moaned, pushing against me. "You like that, Bella?" I asked.

"Yes," she murmured, spreading her ass and giving me better access. I slowed my thrusts and I licked my finger again, drenching it with my saliva. I watched her as I pressed my finger inside her. She moaned, her eyes darkening.

"More?" I growled.

"More," she breathed. "I want to come again. I need to come, Edward."

I pushed my finger inside her so it was just past my second knuckle. I rolled my hips and grunted with each thrust. Bella gasped, her head thrown back. I could feel my finger through the thin membrane of her body. On top of that, her arousal increased, completely soaking my cock. "That's it, baby. Take what you need from me. Seeing my cock sinking into your pussy … nothing better than that in the world." She cried, holding her leg to her chest. "Fuck, Bella. Come for me. Come. For. Me," I snarled as I thrust into her. She screamed, her body clenched around me and she shuddered as her pussy clenched around me. Her orgasm triggered mine and I spilled within her, claiming her again as mine. I eased my finger out from her behind and slid out of her. Evidence of my release leaked from her and she collapsed on the counter.

I pulled up my jeans and picked up Bella, carrying her to the bedroom that was on the main floor. She was quivering and clinging to my neck. I put her on the bed, laying down next to her. "Are you okay, _dolce?_ "

"I'm fine," she shuddered. She smiled up at me, her body still trembling. "I can feel you. Everywhere." She sighed, sliding her arms around my waist. "Would you consider … you know …?" She moved my hand to her ass and I chuckled.

"Anal sex?" I asked.

"Have you ever done it?" she pressed.

"I haven't. What I did with you was the most I've ever done," I answered. "Would I consider it with you? Only if you want it. It requires a lot of trust and love."

"I think we have both of those in abundance," Bella giggled, still shivering. "I think I'd like to try. Not tonight, or while we're on our honeymoon. But, eventually."

"We will, love," I said, brushing my lips over hers. "Now, you stay here since you're a bit wobbly from me fucking your brains out. I'll make us dinner and we'll have a bed picnic."

I quickly made our meal and carried the pasta, chicken piccata, and a bottle of wine to the bedroom. I took off my clothes, joining Bella and we shared our meal, constantly touching, kissing and loving each other.

The next day, we closed up the villa and flew to Sicily with Jacob. He checked into the hotel while I drove Bella and me to the Volturi family vineyard. It was quiet and beautiful, not at all what I expected from the former _capo_ of the Volturi crime family. We stopped at the entrance gate, announcing our arrival and we were granted access. Pulling the rental car up to a large villa, we got out and Marcus Volturi stepped out, looking years younger and his eyes were not haunted.

"Edward Cullen," Marcus said, walking down the steps. He hugged me, kissing my cheeks. "I'm glad that they found you in time. You are one of the few honorable men in the organization." Marcus turned to Bella and his smile was softer. "Mrs. Cullen, it's an honor to see you again." He picked up her hand, kissing her knuckles. "Please? Would you come join me on the verandah? My wife and Rosalie are enjoying a late lunch. Would you like to join us?"

I nodded, threading my fingers with Bella's and we went through the beautiful home to the back patio, which overlooked a gorgeous vineyard. Didyme stood up, speaking to me in Italian and I responded in kind. Bella was staring at Rosalie, who was sitting off to the side and was still a shell of her former self. Didyme, in her broken English, went over to Bella while Marcus handed me a glass of wine.

"You are all healed?" Marcus asked.

"I had a long recovery with some lasting issues with my vision, but that was alleviated with glasses and laser corrective surgery," I said, sipping the wine. "This is delicious."

"Thank you," Marcus said. "Now, when I got your phone call, I was surprised."

"With your help, my family was able to save me. I wanted to extend my appreciation for what you did," I said. "You saved me."

"I had to do what was right. You did the right thing by telling me about my son," Marcus said, his brow furrowed. "I know that what he did was warranted in his death and you were honorable in contacting me. I had to do the same for you. Royce and Stephan powered me out and they were responsible for my son's death. They caused me a great deal of turmoil and they ruined my good standing. I should have never partnered with them, but I was angry. Day by day, more people were turning to you and I wanted to make you pay. However, it turned out that it was their fault for the loss of income."

"I'm sorry, Marcus," I frowned.

"Edward, you are an honorable man and it's why I helped your family," Marcus said. "And when I saw Bella, how broken up she was, I knew I'd made the right decision. Royce and Stephan are monsters. They were monsters, taking without care and hurting people without honor."

"I am so sorry about your son, Marcus and for everything that happened to you," I said, taking another sip of the wine. "If there's anything …"

"I'm free of that world. I'm happy here with my wife and my adoptive daughter," Marcus replied, looking over at Rosalie. She was in Bella's arms, crying and Didyme was next to them.

"How is she?"

"Rosalie is irrevocably damaged. Her spirit, her soul was broken by those …" Marcus tailed off, his nose flaring in anger. "She has so many medical issues because of what they did to her. She'll never be able to have a child. She's fearful of her own shadow and she will not, she can't trust me. She's afraid that I'll do what those monsters did." He growled, finishing his wine. "I never would have hurt a woman. What they did to Rosalie … what they wanted to do to Isabella …"

"What did they want to do?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.

"Sold into sex slavery, after they properly tested the merchandise," Marcus hissed. I sneered, putting down my wine and crossing my arms over my chest. "Exactly, Edward. I understand your anger. They are monsters."

"Were monsters," I retorted angrily. "Thanks to Bella and my father, they are dead and gone."

"I heard of Bella's rite of vengeance. She is a force to be reckoned with," Marcus chuckled. "But, she's still sweet, loving and soft." He blinked over to my wife, who continued to talk with Rosalie. She held her hand and it appeared that Rosalie was excising her demons. "You are a lucky man, Edward."

"I thank God every day for my Bella, _mia dolce_ ," I smirked. I schooled my features and looked at Marcus. "Look, I know that you're here to move past your life in the mafia. You were one of the most respected leaders. I understand your need to walk away. If any of your men, if they want to … join the Consortium?"

"I know some of them are anxious to continue in this life," Marcus said. "I will pass the word along to the men. Is there someone they can contact?"

"My second in command, Jasper Whitlock," I answered. "They can reach out to him. They will need to … pledge their loyalty before they will be able to work."

"Understandable," Marcus nodded. He turned to me, looking at me and held out his hand. "Continue to be honorable, Edward. It gives you more power, more respect among the rival families." I shook his hand and we hugged. "Now, with the final business complete, I'd like to enjoy my retirement with my wife and the daughter of my heart. She's all I have left." He walked back into his home, coming out with a couple of bottles of wine. "Take these. It's more of the wine that we drank today. One for you and one for your father."

I took the wine with a smile and shook his hand once more. Bella got up when she saw me walking toward her. "Rosalie, you need to talk to someone," she said. "You've had your choice taken away. I'm certain that Marcus and Didyme will do anything to make you better."

"I'll think about it," Rosalie said, her voice flat. "Thank you for forgiving me, Bella."

"We may never be friends, but if you need to talk to me," Bella said. "I helped Alice after what happened to her." She handed Rosalie a card. "My cell phone information. I've got FaceTime, if you want to call." Rosalie nodded, giving her a timid smile.

We took our wine and drove to the hotel. I held my wife extra close as I made love to her, showing her how much I adored her. I fell asleep, holding her tightly, feeling her soft skin against mine and making a vow that I'd never take what we had for granted. It could be gone in a moment.

 **BPOV**

After a week in New York and getting to know Anthony a lot better, Edward and I flew home. It felt weird to be back at the house, but after talking with Anthony, Edward was anxious to get back to work. We spent a few days doing laundry and acclimating back to life in Chicago, but Edward was planning. While he was planning, I was working with Alice. On top of that, I helped Emmett with the renovation/flipping opportunity at my uncle's old condo. We also discussed my position at the office in the city. I'd work in human resources and when necessary, assist Emmett in flipping jobs.

"Bella," Edward said, leaning against the door jamb of our bedroom, "I'm having a meeting with all of the leaders of the Consortium . I want you there."

"But, I'm not …" I murmured.

"You are a part of my inner-circle, Bella," he said. "You made me the leader of the family. With you by my side, I know we can take the Consortium into the next era." He walked to me, taking my hand. "Please, _cara_?"

"Okay," I nodded, kissing him sweetly. "I'll be by your side."

He grinned crookedly, hugging me tightly. "Mrs. Cope is coming to cook a full Italian meal. She knows what to do. I need you to look every bit as sexy as I know you to be." I arched a brow. "I want to show off my wife!"

I smacked his arm. "Perv."

"Your perv," he snickered.

"When is this meeting happening?" I asked.

"Tomorrow," he answered.

"Do you have anything to do now?" I giggled.

"You," he smiled.

The next day, Mrs. Cope came early and she shooed me out of the kitchen. I wanted to help, but she said that I was going to have a day of beauty with Alice, Esme and Lauren. "Lauren?" I squeaked.

"It appeared that Emmett informed her of his involvement in the family. Despite his warnings of his past, she still wants to be with him," Mrs. Cope grinned. "I'm glad. Lauren is a wonderful girl and will be good for him. She keeps him on his toes."

I smiled, happy that my friend was enveloped in our crazy life. We were close and I didn't want to abandon our newly formed friendship. Mrs. Cope put a cup of coffee in front of me and I wrinkled my nose. "Oh, I'm not in the mood for coffee."

"Tea, perhaps?" Mrs. Cope suggested.

"Herbal, please. If you don't mind," I said. Mrs. Cope took the coffee and dumped it. She quickly made some mint tea, putting it in front of me. I sipped it, allowing the mint tea to soothe my unsettled stomach. "I may have to pick more of this up. Where did you find it?"

"A store near my home," Mrs. Cope replied. "I'll bring some more for you. Do you want just mint?"

"If you're willing, a variety, please?" I said. Mrs. Cope nodded eagerly, and went back to preparing the meal. A few moments later, Alice came in with Esme and Lauren. We got into the SUV and Jacob drove us to the spa. We munched on chocolate covered strawberries and sipped mimosas. Well, I sipped on orange juice. My stomach was still unsettled.

"Bells, you need to try this," Lauren sang. "So good."

"I'm just not … I really don't want to drink. Edward and I drank enough on our honeymoon and my stomach is not feeling good," I shrugged. Alice arched a brow. "I'm fine, Ali. Perfectly fine."

"Okay, okay," she said, holding her hands up.

We finished our day at the spa, going out to lunch. When we were done, we went back to my house and Lauren helped me dress for my first meeting as an associate in the Consortium. My dress was black, lacy with red accents. Lauren curled my hair, pinning it back and putting on my wedding jewelry. "What's going on, Lauren?"

"Edward just said to make you look hot," Lauren giggled. "And girl, you look hot. I'd do you."

"I'm glad you are using your lesbian-tendencies to flirt with me," I snorted. "God, it smells so good in here. Mrs. Cope is worth her weight in gold."

"It does smell good. Though after your meeting, Emmett is taking me out on a date," Lauren said.

"I'm glad that you and Emmett are really making a go of it," I breathed. "He's a good guy, despite what he does."

"He is a good guy and he treats me like a princess," Lauren smiled. "Sweet, tender, but a fucking wildcat in bed."

"Um, ewwww, he's my brother-in-law," I shuddered.

"I bet Edward is a wildcat, too," Lauren said, giving me a sly grin. "He's very refined, but his eyes are fiery. They only twinkle for you. God, he loves you so much."

"Do you love Emmett?" I asked.

She smiled, sitting down and crossing her legs. "We haven't said those words, but I can see myself loving him. I think he can, too. It's why he told me about his life, about what he does. He was burned by his ex-wife."

"I saw her," I said.

"Who?"

"Rosalie," I sighed. "She's totally fucked in the head, but she was used as a fuck toy by those animals who …" I shook my head and shuddered. "Don't hurt Emmett, Lauren. He's a good man and he doesn't give his love freely. And do not cheat on him. Rosalie did that, and it broke him."

"I don't intend to," Lauren said, taking my hand. "Why she'd cheat on him is beyond me? I mean, Emmett is one of the most amazing men I've ever met. Yes, he's color blind and can't cook to save his life, but he's a good man. I could easily fall in love with him." I heard Edward's voice and I blushed, wanting to go to him. "Okay, I'm hanging out at Alice's place. She's trying to talk me out of Botox."

"You're young," I laughed. "You have no wrinkles. You don't need Botox." Lauren just waved her hand airily, standing up and tugging me to my feet. I stumbled, my stomach lurching. I sat back down.

"Bells, you okay? You look a little green. And as much you love green with Edward and his smexy eyes, it's not a good color on you," Lauren teased. I whimpered, scampering to the bathroom and promptly threw up. "Bells, could you be pregnant?"

I sat back, blinking up at her. "I don't know," I murmured, thinking back to … "Holy shit! I didn't get my shot. With the wedding planning and Christmas, I never got it. I could be pregnant." Lauren tapped out something on her phone. "What are you doing?"

"Asking Alice to bring a pregnancy test," Lauren said, giving me an understanding smile. Her phone chirped. "Oh, she wants you to go to her house. What time is this meeting starting?"

I checked my watch, wrinkling my nose. "In a couple of hours. Edward needs to 'set the stage,' whatever that means."

"Come on, Mama," Lauren said, unzipping my dress. "I'll rebeautify you when you're done with whatever Alice has planned for you." I pulled on a pair of yoga pants and a t-shirt, following Lauren down to the garage.

"Bella?" Edward called.

"I'm going to Alice's. She has the shoes I need for my outfit," I lied, my eyes wide. "I was thinking black would good, but red is more what I'm leaning toward. I'll be back, _capo_." I pushed Lauren into the garage and we grabbed the keys for Edward's Volvo. I drove us to Alice's house and she ushered me into the clinic.

"Pee on this and put on a gown," she barked. She thrust a pregnancy test into my hands. I sighed, ducking into the bathroom; it was the same bathroom I'd showered and changed when Edward was confined to her clinic as he recovered. I peed on the pregnancy test, my hands shaking. When I was done, I pulled on a gown and walked into the examination room. Alice took some blood and she scampered into the bathroom. She snorted. "Oh, Bella …"

"What?" I asked. "Tell me, Alice!"

She walked back into the examination room, holding the test, a knowing grin on her face.

 **EPOV**

Bella came back from Alice, holding a pair of shoes. Lauren was on her heels and I heard them whispering upstairs. I arched a brow, but I finished setting up the dining room. The table was set and I almost obsessively checked each plate, each glass to make sure it all worked out perfectly. This was my first meeting as the leader of the Consortium. I prayed they were on the same page as me.

"I'll see you later, Bells," Lauren said. I looked up and saw Bella, wearing a black and red lacy dress. She had on my wedding present and a pair of spiky red heels on her feet. "Good luck, Edward. You'll kick ass!"

"Thanks, Lauren," I snickered, walking over to my wife. I took her hand, kissing her knuckles. "You look stunning, Bella."

"You're welcome, Edward!" Lauren cackled as she left the house.

I stared at my wife, seeing the woman she'd become. She was confident, sexy and so very smart. She smiled at me, her eyes sparkling in the light. "I love you, _dolce_."

"As I love you," she said. "You are going to kick ass. When's everyone coming?"

The phone rang and I chuckled. "Now, it would seem," I answered. "I really wanted to make love to you before they came."

"Afterward," she smiled, her fingers tracing down my jaw. I kissed her tenderly and answered the phone. I spoke to the security guard, granting access to the people who were coming from the city, which was mainly Anthony. Jacob picked him up from the condo. A few moments later, the doorbell rang. Bella opened the door and my inner circle walked inside. Jasper, Emmett, Jacob and Anthony filled the foyer, dwarfing my wife. She looked so small compared to them, but very comfortable.

Dinner was delicious and filling. I'd shared the wine from Volturi with them and they loved it. Bella sipped it, passing it to me when she said she was full. I took it, arching a brow at her but she just smiled serenely. After dinner, Bella cleared the plates and Mrs. Cope, who had stayed, started washing them. Bella came back with a tray of coffee and some cookies. "I don't know the protocol, but I figured you'd like something sweet," she said, sitting down next me and taking my hand, idly turning my wedding band.

"I'm always ready for sweets," Emmett said, swiping a few cookies and groaning as he ate them. "Did you make these?"

"I made the lemon knots and the cannolis," Bella answered. "Mrs. Cope baked the biscotti, the spice cookies and the ones with the raspberry jam."

"I think the cannolis are better than Mom's," I said, kissing her sweetly. "Now, I know we're here to discuss the future of the Consortium." I blinked to Anthony and gave him nod. "I've already spoken with Anthony and he's willing to head up dealings with the family in New York City. We spoke about this when we returned from our honeymoon."

"While Bella and Nina were out, wreaking havoc on my Amex …" Anthony quipped.

"Oh, no. That was all Nina," Bella chuckled. "I had fun with Edward's, but not too much fun."

"Anyway, Edward and I discussed my role. With the access to warehouses, piers and connections in New York City, I'd work with my crew on accepting delivery of whatever we're getting," Anthony answered. "I'm here in Chicago, obviously, for this meeting and to also move my mother to New York with me."

"How is she?" Bella frowned. "She got lost in the shuffle. I mean, her husband was …"

"There's no love lost there," Anthony said, his eyes flashing angrily. "My father was a bastard, in more ways than two. He kept her under his thumb, stifling her. I don't know what he did to her, but my mom is as jumpy as newborn kitten. Skittish and afraid of everything. Nina is helping my mom to pack up her home, to put it on the market. We're taking her back to New York and we're going to help her. My mom is the kindest, gentlest woman I know, besides you, Bella. Though, you've proven to me that you can kick ass with the best of them."

"Only when provoked," Bella smirked. "Don't fuck with my family and we're good." She sighed, looking over at Anthony. "I'm not certified or anything, but if your mom wants to talk?"

"I'll pass along your kind gesture, Bella," Anthony smiled. "Now, what are we getting? I know that we're stopping with the drugs. I'm happy with that. Too many unwarranted deaths."

"Agreed," I nodded. "Too many people are already addicts. I don't want to add to that. With the plan for the future, I'm focusing my attention on weaponry, technology and protection, mercenaries, soldiers for hire. Those things are needed and we have potential buyers, as well as suppliers. Jasper, did you reach out to Benjamin?"

"I did and his work is quite innovative," Jasper said. "I'm planning on flying to South Africa, with your permission, to see his product and establish further relations. I also am intrigued with his use of the dark web. I'm hesitant to put our 'stock' online because it could be linked to us, but with discussion with Benjamin? We could possibly set up shop. You know?"

"Agreed," I nodded. "Good thinking, Jasper."

"What are our jobs in this venture, Edward?" Bella asked. "You must have that planned out."

"Anthony is responsible for sales in New York City and to keep an eye on the Bratva," I said. "With Royce's death, they're scrambling."

"Royce was a black sheep, but I'll gladly keep an eye on them," Anthony snorted. "And money from the sales?"

"Split, fifty/fifty," I answered. "You keep half and half goes to the Consortium. You still have the account information for our offshore accounts?" Anthony nodded. "Jasper, you and I will be working and coordinating the sales in Chicago. We will also be in charge the stock and making contacts for potential sales. Emmett, you and Bella are going to be working at our legitimate business, as a real estate and investment firm."

"Not to sound like a dick, but is it wise to include Bella?" Emmett asked, blinking to my wife.

"She became involved when she claimed rite of vengeance, killing Royce," I answered, glaring at my brother. "I trust her implicitly."

"Edward," she chided, putting her hand on my arm. "I can leave …"

"No. I want you here," I said, taking her hand and kissing her pulse point. "I don't want you to be involved like you were before, but you know what I do, what we do. I think your mind would be essential to take our organization to the next level."

"I agree with Edward. Bella can handle herself," Anthony smiled, winking at Bella. "We need some new blood and a feminine perspective would nice."

"Thank you, Anthony," I said. "Anyone else want to question my authority?"

"No, Boss," Jasper chuckled. "You have a reason for everything you do and I get why you want Bella with you. Alice knows as much as Bella and she's a vital part of our organization. I also know that Bella's knowledge of psychology will be helpful when it comes to recruiting new members."

"An interesting idea," I murmured. I squeezed Bella's hand and looked at Jacob. "Jacob, you are going to be responsible for the safety of my wife and me. Your position hasn't changed in that regard. But, I also want you to work with Felix on recruiting new members. Not for the upper levels, like what you do, but people who could be used as enforcers, as a part of an army for protection."

"That sounds … pretty fucking awesome," Jacob chuckled. "Why isn't Felix here, though?"

"He can be a part of this venture, but not be a part of the inner circle," I explained. "He's still healing from the loss of Demetri." I clasped my hands and looked at the people I trusted the most, the ones that I loved the most. "I know that my ascension was marred with my abduction. With that, it made our family appear weak, but we're anything but weak. We took out Royce, Stephan and their cronies. I love all of you and I'm honored to have you by my side. _Famiglia, sopra ogni altra cosa._ "

They all responded in kind and we dug into the cookies that Bella had brought out. Bella snuck out and came back with a cup of tea. "You okay, _cara_?" I asked. "You normally crave coffee."

"Just want to get some sleep," she answered. "After some fun with you, Mobward."

"Really, Bella?" I grumbled. The men around me laughed and I shot them looks, wrinkling my nose. "Assholes, all of you."

"Whatever, Boss," Jasper teased, rolling his eyes. "I'm going to head out. Alice and I have _plans_." He waggled his brows and got up. I stood up, hugging him and he kissed Bella's cheek, whispering something in her ear. Bella blushed, nodding.

"I'm also going out. Lauren and I are going to Bound and Gagged," Emmett said, waggling his brows. I looked at him, shocked he'd even go back there, especially after what had happened. The waitress who had told me that the bathrooms in the VIP section were closed was found killed, shot between the eyes. Emmett didn't know her, but Anthony had told me that she was a woman who used to work for my uncle. Her name was Charlotte Maas, but not much else was known about her. However, she'd served her purpose and paid with her life. "Dude, you're growling."

"Sorry," I said, shaking my head. "I just struggle with what happened at Bound and Gagged. It'll be a long time, if ever, it I go back."

"I don't blame you," Anthony said, getting up. "Jacob, would you mind driving me back to Chicago? I need to get some rest before I turn into a pack mule for my mom."

"Sure, sure," Jacob nodded, taking out his keys. "Boss, I'll be back in a few hours."

"Why don't you spend some time with your father, Jacob? Bella and I …" I trailed off.

"Ah, got it," Jacob chuckled. "Come on, Anthony."

They hugged me and Bella, leaving us in the house. Alone. Bella picked up the cookies and coffee, her nose wrinkled. I took the coffee. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm better than just okay," she said, putting the cookies into plastic containers while I poured the coffee down the drain. "Edward, come with me." She took my hand and led me to our family room. She slipped off her shoes, curling up on the couch. She threaded her fingers with mine before reaching into a drawer, taking out an envelope. "Lately, I've been feeling off. I thought it was just adjusting back to being home and just being tired, but when I was waiting for Alice, Lauren and Esme, I got sick from the smell of coffee. Mrs. Cope made me some mint tea and I was fine. When I was getting ready for tonight, Lauren pulled me to my feet and I felt nauseous."

"Are you sick, _dolce?_ " I asked, my heart pounding. "I'll do whatever you need. I can't lose you."

"You're not going to lose me, Edward," she said. She handed me the envelope. "Open it."

I opened it and pulled out a grainy, black and white image. "If this is a picture, it's pretty poorly taken, Bella," I said.

She chuckled, shaking her head. "I know you don't like the nickname 'Mobward.' I think it's cute, but there's another nickname I'd like to try. 'Daddyward'?" I blinked at her, then back down at the grainy photo.

"This is a sonogram," I whispered. "I'm pregnant," she whispered back. "With Christmas, the wedding and everything else, I forgot my shot."

"How pregnant are you?" I asked.

"From the size of the baby, I'm about two months along," she sniffled. She twisted her wedding ring and stared at the sonogram. "I know it's not ideal …"

"What?" I said, taking her hand. "Bella, I'm overjoyed. We're going to be parents. I'm going to be a daddy. You're going to be a mommy." I picked her up and put her on my lap. Cradling her flat tummy, I cried. "A baby!"

"You're not upset?" she whispered. "No, Bella. I'm beyond happy," I breathed, kissing her lips. "I love you, _mia dolce_."

"I love you more, Daddyward," she quipped, sliding her arms around my neck. "I like that a lot more than Mobward, Bella," I said, picking her up. "A lot more."

 **?POV**

Looking at my bulletin board, I clenched my fists. So many deaths, so many disappearances. All of them were gone and all of them gone because of the Cullen Consortium. All of them were killed by Edward Cullen. He was a fucking monster. He needed to pay.

Now, how did I know this?

Royce King. He was a fucking wealth of information. Plus, he paid me handsomely to overlook his transgressions.

Blinking over to his picture, he was missing in action, too. He'd been missing for almost eight months, nearly nine. Last, I heard, he was going out to Dekalb, but he never came back. Neither did Stephan or any of the big players who went out there. It had to be Edward Cullen.

I looked at the bulletin board, I crossed my arms and tried to figure out how to bring him down. I blinked to the picture that made me want to bring him down.

My sweet Charlotte, my baby sister. She'd been killed by Edward Cullen or by his family, his monstrous killing machines. She was a pawn in his dangerous game of chess.

"I'm going to get you, Cullen. You're going to fuck up and you're going down," I hissed. I sat down heavily, taking a swig directly from the whiskey bottle. My cell phone rang and I swiped it, punching it harshly. "Detective Peter Maas," I barked. I listened to the voice and I grunted. "I'll be there." I stood up, caressing my sister's cheek. "I'm doing this for you, Char. He will pay for what he did to you. They all will pay."

 _Fin … for now …_


End file.
